Audrey Cooper: Local News and the Future of Baltimore

The collapse of local news reporting is now a national crisis, fueling political polarization, government corruption and reduced civic engagement. Audrey Cooper, editor-in-chief of the Baltimore Banner, addresses the current situation and describes the driving forces working against local journalism. The social impacts are alarming: lack of accountability, erosion of community-specific political focus and the spread of misinformation. What can be done to ensure that Baltimore does not become a “news desert” without coverage of school boards, courts and local government?