Strengthen Local News. Strengthen Maine Communities.
What Is Press Forward Maine?
Press Forward Maine is a new statewide initiative, part of a larger national movement spearheaded by the MacArthur and Knight foundations to strengthen local news. Led by the Maine Community Foundation, and under the direction of longtime media executive Lisa DeSisto, Press Forward Maine will work with partners across the state to reimagine, reinvest and rebuild local journalism.
Why It Matters
Our own Community Needs Assessment research and a Maine Civic Health report we funded through Colby College tell us people want more ways to feel connected and involved in their communities. As our national Press Forward partners have noted, in towns with robust local journalism:
- Local governments are less polarized
- Civic engagement, public participation and volunteering are more robust
- More people run for office and voting rates are higher
All of that adds up to the fact that strengthening local news strengthens Maine communities.
Somerset and Waldo counties are in news deserts. Piscataquis, Knox and Sagadahoc counties are at risk of losing their only news outlet.
The Challenges Facing Local News
Local news is vanishing when communities need it most.
- Since 2005, one-third of U.S. newspapers have closed.
- More than 55 million people in the U.S. live in news deserts with no access to local news.
- Revenue for local news outlets has declined while an estimated 60+ percent of online ad revenue now goes to Google and Meta alone.
- In Maine, two counties are news deserts (Somerset and Waldo) while three others are at risk of losing their only news outlet.
- Many of Maine’s remaining news outlets have reduced staff, coverage and frequency of publication.
- Gaps in Maine broadband service make access to digital news inequitable.
The Continued Importance and Opportunities for Local News
Despite the challenges, local news is still an essential source of information and there are bright spots and innovations here in Maine, including:
• Community-led news outlets
• Nonprofit ownership models
• New mixed funding sources
