The landscape of local journalism is experiencing significant changes nationwide, with Illinois seeing a decline in the number and reach of news outlets.

In response, State Senator Steve Stadelman and a dedicated Local Journalism Task Force conducted a year-long examination of this trend.

On Wednesday, they presented their findings and proposed policy solutions to address the challenges facing local journalism.

“As local journalism declines so does the checks and balances on democracy. It’s an issue facing newsrooms across both the state and nation – due in large part to dwindling revenue that leads to a dwindling number of reporters,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “A disruption in finances is a disruption in talent. It was long past time for us to have serious conversations about the future of journalism and how that affects the future of our communities.”

Governor Pritzker signed legislation creating the Task Force in August 2021.

Over the past year, representatives from media, academia, and government convened close to a dozen times to analyze the decline of local media in the state, its impact on democratic function, and potential policy options to enhance newsroom revenue.

Through discussions with various experts from across the state and country, the task force recognized a recurring theme: the importance of independent local news reporting and the potential detriment its decline poses to democratic health.

Data from the Medill research institute identified the Chicago metropolitan area as one of the top 20 U.S. regions with the most significant per capita loss of news sources.

Additionally, rural areas within the state have experienced an even more pronounced decline.

“Although the news crisis is severe across Illinois, it’s especially acute in downstate rural areas. Almost all the counties that lack a single local news outlet or are on Medill’s ‘watch list’ are in southern Illinois,” the task force’s report reads. “While rural areas downstate are clearly being underserved, so are some communities of color in urban areas.”

Read the complete January 2024 final report below:

For urgent breaking news and severe weather updates – click here to download the 13 WREX News App and the 13 WREX Weather Authority App.