Don’t Let News Consolidation Silence Local Voices

A joint statement on proposed changes to federal media-ownership rules

Across the country, local newsrooms are shrinking -- leaving communities with fewer journalists, fewer local stories, and fewer perspectives. For journalists and audiences of color, this loss is deeply felt. Local stations have long been where many journalists from underrepresented backgrounds begin their careers and where communities turn for culturally relevant coverage that national outlets often overlook.

Changes to media ownership rules under consideration by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) threaten to accelerate this contraction. As organizations representing a broad range of journalists, we call on policymakers and industry leaders to recognize that diverse, local voices are the foundation of a strong, sustainable news media that serves all Americans.

Gains made over decades are being rolled back in months. Economic headwinds and corporate restructuring have led to layoffs that disproportionately affect journalists of color -- often the most recent hires in newsrooms that only recently began to reflect the communities they serve. National outlets have laid off staffers of verticals dedicated to covering underrepresented communities. 

At the same time, the FCC has begun re-examining long-standing media-ownership limits, including whether to lift the prohibition on mergers among the largest broadcast networks and relax other local ownership caps. Recent merger reviews have also included pressure to scale back newsroom DEI programs as a condition of approval.

Though different in origin, these developments share a common thread: they could narrow the range of voices and stories reaching the public. When local voices fade, the public’s shared understanding of itself erodes. Fewer decision-makers controlling what the nation sees and hears weakens the civic fabric that connects communities across geography and experience. 

Rules that limit excessive ownership in local markets can help ensure that no single corporation controls what the public sees and hears, and that communities retain access to local voices and perspectives. From a business perspective, it allows new entrants to compete. 

Even more important, it means that journalistic investigations can’t be silenced by a single owner, and local governments and powerful businesses are kept accountable to citizens. Media pluralism benefits all audiences, strengthening the reliability and reach of the information Americans rely on every day.

As some regulators have sought to link diversity programs or editorial structures to approving mergers, it is vital to reaffirm that newsroom decisions about hiring, coverage and culture belong with journalists and editors, not with government agencies or corporate lawyers. 

We cannot allow the hard-won progress toward newsroom inclusion to be undone by short-term economic pressures or policy experiments that conflate market oversight with control over newsroom values. When journalism reflects the full range of American experience, the result is stronger institutions, healthier debate, and a democracy that works better for everyone.

We call on regulators, industry leaders, and the public to reaffirm the values that have long defined American broadcasting: localism, diversity and editorial independence. Protecting these principles will ensure that the next generation of journalists -- of every background -- has a place to learn, to lead, and to serve the public.

Our communities deserve journalism that reflects their voices, tells their stories, and holds power accountable. Preserving independent, diverse, and local newsrooms is how we sustain the free press that serves us all.

Signatories

The Indigenous Journalists Association (IJA)
Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS)
National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ)
National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ)
NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists
South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA)
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)

The signatories represent America’s leading professional organizations dedicated to newsroom diversity and a free, independent press.

This statement was originally published by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists at nahj.org.