The Times Leader front page from Sept. 20, 1986.
Times Leader Archives
As National Newspaper Week begins today, we offer some well-documented consequences when local newspaper coverage disappears. Sadly, they are well-documented because so many local outlets have shuttered nationwide.
Government corruption becomes easier. We aren’t saying it becomes more frequent, just easier. Fewer eyes are watching what local officials do, attending municipal or school board meetings, poring over government bid documents, contracts, check ledgers and more. This week our paper ran detailed stories about the sale of county-owned rail lines, a move that can greatly impact local business and tourism. And if you trust AI, use Google AI to search “Luzerne County Rail Sale” and note how often it cites the Times Leader. If AI succeeds on local issues, it’s because it skims info from local newspaper websites.
Voter and civic engagement often declines. When a newspaper closes, the nitty gritty of local governments increasingly occurs under the radar. And we don’t intend to brag, but we can offer one past example that became a recent hot topic: The stormwater run off fee. For several years, the Times Leader ran stories about the evolution and looming implementation of the controversial fee as municipalities grappled with new federal mandates. Yet when the fees were imposed many claimed nothing had been mentioned about it. Imagine how many more people would have been surprised if we and other local outlets hadn’t been around.
Political and business misinformation campaigns succeed more often — a fact rapidly accelerated by the growing ease in using Artificial Intelligence to create fake photos, videos and official-looking announcements. Local reporters can succumb to this just like any other humans, but more often serve as bulwarks against bunk. Decades ago, when Mike Marsicano was mayor of Hazleton and declared a partial government shut down, at a media event he insisted council members had included unspecified revenue in their math, making their budget illegal. In a room full of reporters who covered multiple counties, it was a Times Leader reporter who pointed out that the mayor’s own budget had the same flaw, claiming “miscellaneous revenue” would paper over an obvious deficit.
Businesses and entertainment venues lose a source of recurring publicity. This one, at least, can be mitigated through social media postings by those seeking attention. But part of the value of local newspapers is that they can break down personal silos. Maybe you wanted info about a specific place, but Thursday’s story about a production of Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” caught your eye. Or maybe you spotted a feature about 24-year-old Juliette Peterson adopting a retired (“off-the-track”) thoroughbred race horse. You might find it on your social media of choice, you would spot it in our reporting.
Polarization often increases (as if it needed any help in our current political environment). We know critics will disagree, but we take considerable pains in this space to appreciate opposing points of view while arguing a stance on important issues. And our reporters continue to seek all sides of a story, from the current court battle over the homicide trial of Frederick Balester to the rapidly evolving data center debate at very local levels.
Please don’t dismiss National Newspaper Week as an ancient artifact. Local reporting matters. Ask Google AI.
Really. Ask it.
Better yet, just see for yourself.
Local journalism matters, and your support makes it possible. You can help sustain this work by making a donation or choosing one of our subscription options. Subscribers enjoy valuable benefits, including full access to our e-edition, a reduced ad experience on timesleader.com, and more.
Your support helps ensure independent, high-quality local news remains available today and for future generations. Thank you for standing with local journalism.