## Colophon %% title:: Local News Hypthesis type:: [[output]]%% tags:: [[information ecosystem]] [[information dysfunction]] [[news industry]] %% url:: file:: %% status:: [[bean]] created:: 2021-11-15 ## Content The collapse of / reduction in the number of "local news outlets" means that space has been ceded to low quality / false / misleading content. This is an argument that is repeated so often, and uncritically, that it's achieved the status 'received wisdom'. Worth noting that I've mostly seen this argument made in the U.S Context[^1], but it did find mention in Australia's Digital Platform Inquiry too [^2]. Note that it is usually made alongside references to falling advertising revenues - *I am not addressing that part in this post*. What I will try to address is that is the tendency to cite 'Local News Collapse' hypothesis as a highly significant contributing factor to the current state of information dysfunction. In my view, what this hypothesis doesn't explain well enough is the presence of information dysfunction in regions / countries where local news presence was limited / non existent / not that robust to begin with. Some open questions that my skepticism is grounded in: 1. Is the nature of information dysfunction significantly different in places where this local news collapse hypothesis cited compared to others? 2. Is there any reason to believe that places that still have a (somewhat) strong local news presence are any more resistant to information dysfunction? ==To be clear: I am not implying the collapse of local/regional journalism is not a bad thing. I am raising the question of whether it is as significant factor as we think. Conversely, is it enough to stave off information dysfunction / reverse the course we're on.== [^1]: There are plenty of articles, but I'll point to a report from U.S Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law . See Page 57 onwards in [Investigation of Competition in Digital Markets](https://judiciary.house.gov/uploadedfiles/competition_in_digital_markets.pdf) [^2]: See chapter 6 of the [final report](https://www.accc.gov.au/focus-areas/inquiries-finalised/digital-platforms-inquiry-0/final-report-executive-summary)