Capitol Weekly Podcast

NEWSWELL wants to transform journalism. Can they help solve the local news crisis?

Episode Summary

Local journalism in the United States is in crisis. Almost 40% of all local newspapers in the US have vanished since 2005, leaving "news deserts," areas that lack consistent local reporting. Many of these areas now have no local reporting; in others, legitimate news outlets have been replaced by "Pink Slime" - partisan "fake news" websites masquerading as independent local news. What can be done to stop the collapse of local news? Two years ago, Arizona State University launched NEWSWELL, a nonprofit organization that offers comprehensive wraparound services - including fundraising - to their newsroom partners, helping them build sustainable business models. NEWSWELL now has a ** of 15 news outlets, including 11 in California. We're joined by Nicole Carroll, Executive Director of NEWSWELL and a professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She shares the vision behind NEWSWELL, explains the ASU connection and looks at what indie news needs to survive.

Episode Notes

Local journalism in the United States is in crisis. Almost 40% of all local newspapers in the US have vanished since 2005, leaving "news deserts," areas that lack consistent local reporting. Many of these areas now have no local reporting; in others, legitimate news outlets have been replaced by "Pink Slime" - partisan "fake news" websites masquerading as independent local news. What can be done to stop the collapse of local news?

Two years ago, Arizona State University launched NEWSWELL, a nonprofit organization that offers comprehensive wraparound services - including fundraising - to their newsroom partners, helping them build sustainable business models. NEWSWELL now has a string of 15 news outlets, including 11 in California. We're joined by Nicole Carroll, Executive Director of NEWSWELL and a professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She shares the vision behind NEWSWELL, explains the ASU connection and looks at what indie news needs to survive.

2:06 Billionaires tax

3:01 Litigation around card rooms

3:29 Insurance Commissioner candidates

5:56 Nicole Carroll

7:29 The California Connection

9:09 Plight of local news

11:09 The Cronkite School

11:57 ASU internship program

13:27 Capitol Weekly internships

14:11 New study: Media Impact Founders

21:33 The Pulitzer Committee

24:00 Leisure time?

25:43 3WWCA

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