We are now one year into our (some might say crazy) idea of delivering free, independent news to homes and businesses across Belmont. And judging by the number of residents who are supporting The Belmont Voice with their dollars, the free press in Belmont is a pretty good thing.
This has not been easy. Across the U.S., local news is on life support. According to the Local News Initiative at Northwestern University, since 2005, roughly 3,300 local newspapers have folded. This translates to roughly one-third of the total newspaper count. Alongside this alarming trend, over two-thirds of journalism jobs have been lost.
What happens when local news disappears? People become less engaged with their government and community. Residents don’t have reliable access to important facts and data to hold local government officials accountable. In the end, many look to get their news elsewhere. Social media, where divisiveness is often amplified, becomes the preferred source.
The Pew Research Center tells us that 54% of Americans say that they at least sometimes get their news from social media (25% say they often get their news this way). Two weeks ago, Facebook announced it was eliminating its fact-checking program in favor of Community Notes. Yes, Mark Zuckerberg conceded, there would be more “bad stuff” on the platform.
Here in Belmont, it’s up to us. All of us. At The Voice, we promise to continue to try our hardest to present the news in a thoroughly vetted and fact-checked way. Our reporters and freelancers have now been with us for a year. They are deepening their knowledge of the community and further developing their sources. But we are only one part of this. Reach out to us with ideas or tips. Write letters. Help us grow and sustain this nonprofit local news experiment for years to come.
Again, thank you so much for your kind words, financial donations, and support for our advertisers.
On to our second year!
The Belmont Voice Board of Directors