From: Ginger Lirette
Columbus
A friend recently recommended a fascinating podcast called The Hidden Brain. I was struck by an episode called “Starving the Watchdog.” I’ve always enjoyed the local newspaper and have felt intuitively it offered a special angle that could not be replaced by online national and international internet reports. I feel connected to my community and I feel like part of our village when I read The Republic.
However, what I hadn’t fully considered is the financial impact on the community when a local newspaper struggles or closes.
The podcast does a masterful job of providing examples of how local newspapers serve as a local watchdog of local politicians, governmental agencies, even local businesses. National and even state media aren’t able to dig into these critical local issues to keep local entities operating in ethical and responsible manners. In communities where local newspapers have folded, bank interest rates go up. Why this happens is that without a watchdog local government has a higher risk of overspending and misusing taxes. With that misuse comes higher risk and bank’s lending interest rates go up.
Furthermore, it is the local watchdog papers that uncover troubling local issues for action, such as local environmental violations or challenges that need to be reported, governmental or police corruption or misuse of power. Even simple things but still important such as restaurant cleanliness violations.
The podcast argues that citizens should see local newspapers differently than retail commodities, and more like the criticality of funding police in a community. The podcast makes some calculations to show that saving the $10 per week on a local newspaper can actually cost much more costly to a community in the end in the increased bank lending interest rates.
Aside from the watchdog role, I additionally find value in knowing about the local weddings, anniversaries, homes for sale, local fun events and the list goes on and on. It is all the local information of the local community in a handy little package.
I recognize that those who are reading this are probably a believer in the local newspaper and, thus, I am preaching to the choir. But maybe readers will consider clipping this and giving it to a friend that may not regularly subscribe to the paper.
