Initiative highlights urgent needs and promising pathways for local news

Newspaper group

A yearlong statewide research effort examining the health and future of local news in North Dakota affirms an industry at a crossroads––one facing mounting challenges, but also significant opportunities for renewal, innovation and community partnership.

The Future of Local News Initiative completed a comprehensive assessment of local news conditions in North Dakota, which included surveys of newspaper executives, journalists, college journalists, news consumers and residents of North Dakota’s “news desert” counties. The project steering committee, comprised of media professionals and stakeholders, received the final project report at a Jan. 28 meeting.

Clear themes emerged from the research: the state’s independent newspapers face rising costs and shrinking margins, journalists are stretched thin, consumers want deeper coverage and more digital access, news desert areas with no in-county newspaper face significant information gaps, and outreach opportunities exist to promote journalism careers. 

“North Dakota’s local newspapers have long served as trusted, community-rooted institutions,” says Chris Gessele, North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) cooperative development specialist. “This Initiative not only highlights the challenges they face, but also offers a roadmap for actionable solutions that can help sustain local journalism for decades to come.”

KEY FINDINGS

  1. Local newspapers remain widely trusted and deeply valued. 
    Survey results show strong public belief in the importance of maintaining a local newspaper:
  • Nearly 90% of North Dakotans say having a local newspaper is “important” or “very important.”
  • Local newspaper reporting is considered the most trusted source for information about important community issues. 

 

  1. Independent newspapers face acute sustainability risks.

    The newspaper executives survey revealed an urgent need for succession planning and the cultivation of a new generation of newspaper publishers. Executives shared proprietary information to outline the industry’s strengths and challenges, including:

  • More than 80% of independent newspapers reported operating at breakeven or better in 2024.
  • Of independent publishers, 14% do not have an online presence. 

 

  1. Postal costs, declining advertising revenue and challenges attracting subscribers are top threats.
  • Both group and independent publishers ranked these as top challenges.

  • Printing and distribution costs consume more than half of independent newspapers’ budgets.

     

  1. Journalists report chronic understaffing and desire greater community engagement.
  • 72% say there are not enough journalists to cover community needs.
  • 51% have experienced harassment or threats in the past two years related to their reporting.
  • Journalists strongly support expanding digital tools, training and newsroom staffing.

 

  1. Consumers want more coverage in key areas and expanded access to information. 

    North Dakotans expressed a desire for:

  • More in-depth reporting on local government, schools and key community institutions.
  • Expanded digital access, especially via e-editions and newsletters.

 

  1. News desert counties experience notable civic impacts. 

    In Dunn, Sioux and Slope counties, which lack a local newspaper operating within their county:

  • 71% feel less aware of local events.
  • 55% feel less informed about local government.
  • 52% feel less connected to their community.
  • 90%, primarily Dunn and Sioux counties, expressed interest in a new locally focused newspaper.

 

Additionally, a statewide newspaper database is now established, with circulation, digital presence and audience metrics of North Dakota’s 71 newspapers, to support ongoing monitoring and future initiatives. 

 

NEXT STEPS

The North Dakota Newspaper Association (NDNA) is seeking grant funding to support four pilot projects to test strategies identified through the Future of Local News Initiative, which include:

  • Succession planning for newspaper owners as well as connecting them with individuals interested in owning a newspaper in the future.
  • A newspaper sampling program in rural communities with higher concentrations of residents ages 25 to 45.
  • Expanding the number of newspapers implementing a proven revenue model designed by researcher Teri Finneman, formerly of North Dakota and currently a journalism professor at the University of Kansas.
  • Delivery of “revenue-in-a-box” content and advertising programs newspapers can tailor to their communities. 

Many more solutions were identified, and this is only a starting point, says Cecile Wehrman, NDNA executive director. Industry leaders will use the findings to inform conversations about statewide collaboration, resource development and community-driven strategies to support sustainable local news. 

“This initiative is not an ending – it’s a beginning,” Wehrman says. “The report provides a foundation for building stronger connections, stronger newsrooms and stronger communities across North Dakota.”

The Future of Local News Initiative was administered by NDAREC in partnership with NDNA. The project was guided by a steering committee and supported by a Bush Foundation Partnership Fund grant, with research conducted by Coda Ventures. 

NDAREC is the statewide trade association for 17 electric distribution cooperatives and five generation and transmission cooperatives operating in North Dakota. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to nearly 250,000 North Dakotans. NDAREC services include legislative advocacy, lineworker safety training, cooperative business and rural development, professional development and communication services, including publication of the North Dakota Living magazine.