The Decline of Local News and Representation in Local Politics

• In Event: Traditional News Industry Changes and Their Political Consequences

Abstract

How has the decline of local news impacted representation in local politics? Political decisions made at subnational levels have important implications for citizen’s lives, and local media has long played an important role in informing voters about local politics. While prior research has demonstrated the adverse effects of declining media on political participation in local politics, the challenges of measuring local preferences and the lack of comprehensive data on local elections has limited the scholarship on this question. In this paper, I argue that declining newspaper circulation and local newspaper closures have limited the ability of local populations to hold their elected officials accountable. By using recent advances in public opinion estimation and a large dataset of local elections, I demonstrate the vital role that local news can play in facilitating representation and the consequences for citizens when that media environment is diminished.

Author

• Sean Ewing, UCLA