At an event earlier this year, a speaker spent a good deal of time talking about how divisive the “mainstream media” has become. How the big networks twist narratives, chase conflict, and sow distrust among Americans.
Afterward, someone leaned over to me and said, “I don’t know how you can sit there and listen to that.”
It honestly hadn’t occurred to me to be upset. Because I don’t consider us, The Manning Times, part of what most people mean when they say “mainstream media.”
We’re local news. We’re the ones who show up when the ribbon’s cut, when the council votes, when the high school wins, and when the community mourns. We’re in your neighborhoods, your schools, and your churches. We see our readers in the grocery store. We are, quite literally, part of the same story.
That moment reminded me of something important: not only isn’t local news the problem, it’s actually part of the solution.
The difference between national and local
Across the country, public trust in national news outlets has waned. In 2024, a Gallup survey found that only about 32% of Americans say they trust national media “a great deal” or “a fair amount.”
But when it comes to local journalism, the story changes. According to Pew Research Center, about 74% of Americans say they have at least some trust in their local news organizations.
And there’s a reason for that. Local papers don’t have to chase the national news cycle or deliver content designed to hold a cable audience through the next commercial break. Our stories are rooted in proximity – in knowing not just what happened, but who it happened to and why it matters here.
When big media gets bigger, local voice get quieter
Media consolidation is a growing concern. Over the past few decades, ownership of the country’s largest media outlets has concentrated into just a few major corporations. That often means less diversity in coverage, fewer reporters on the ground, and more decisions made from far outside the communities being covered.
When smaller papers get bought up, coverage shifts. Hometown stories are replaced by generic national content, and once-active newsrooms are reduced to skeleton crews.
Researchers from Northwestern University have identified more than 3,000 counties across the U.S. that now have no local newspaper at all. These are known as news deserts – places where corruption rises, civic engagement falls, and voters know less about who’s representing them.
It’s not that people stop caring. It’s that no one is there to tell their story.
Readers still prefer homegrown news
Even as the media landscape changes, readers continue to turn to community papers for what they can’t get anywhere else.
A 2024 study by the Knight Foundation found that more than 80% of Americans say local journalism is “important to their community’s well-being,” and 72% say local outlets do a good job keeping them informed about issues that matter most to them.
People want stories about their schools, their small businesses, their local government, and their neighbors. They want to see themselves and their communities reflected accurately and respectfully. That’s what local journalism provides and it’s why, despite all the noise about “the media,” small-town papers like ours remain one of the most trusted sources of information.
Why it matters here
In Clarendon County, local news doesn’t just fill pages. It connects people. It celebrates student achievements and church events, tracks progress at county council, and holds public officials accountable. It gives context to what’s happening at home, not just what’s trending online.
When we cover a high school game, a fire department fundraiser, or a county budget hearing, it’s not to generate clicks – it’s because those stories belong to this community.
They document the history we’re living right now, one issue at a time.
The story we tell together
So, no. I wasn’t offended that day when someone criticized “the media.”
Because local news isn’t about political talking points or national divisions. It’s about people – our people – and the work, joy, struggle, and resilience that make up everyday life in this county.
Local journalism doesn’t thrive because of outrage or algorithms. It thrives because readers still care enough to pick up their hometown paper, to stay informed, and to stay connected.
And as long as that’s true, The Manning Times will keep showing up. Above the fold, at your front door, and right where your story begins.
