The State of Local Newspaper Companies in North Carolina: Diminishing the Odds of Communities Becoming News Deserts

Abstract

This project answers the question of how local newspaper companies in North Carolina are diminishing the odds that news deserts exist in their community. To narrow down my research, this project focuses on two specific factors that most newspaper companies rely on: funding and readership. This project presents its findings through a documentary in which three newspaper companies are interviewed and asked a set of questions about their company. Scholarly sources provided statistical data on the state of newspaper companies in North Carolina and the chances of a news desert in a specific area. My major findings from this project are, first, that readership is key to making sure a newspaper company stays afloat. Many people support companies that present real, accurate, and trustworthy journalism. Even though funding plays an important role as well, it is support from the community that keeps the newspaper industry going. Second, through interviews with news company executives, I found their biggest concerns deal with funding. Whether it is making sure that staff is taken care of or covering any extra expenses, many companies pay close attention to ensuring that they have enough funds to cover all expenses.