The number of local newspapers in the U.S. has declined dramatically since 2005. The number of local journalists in communities has fallen sharply, as well. With those losses came “news deserts” — localities with no news outlets at all — and a less-informed citizenry in many more cities and towns. Local television news has been hit, as well. Why did this happen? Is a new “news ecosystem” evolving to fill the void? How will we get our local news in the future? We’re still in the middle of this “great disruption,” and more changes are coming.

Instructor: John Dillon is a professor emeritus in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State, where he taught from 2007 to 2017 and was the Norman Eberly Professor of Practice in Journalism. He also served for six years on the Daily Collegian board of directors, including two terms as president. Before coming to Penn State, he worked at the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia for 32 years. His jobs included copy editor, reporter, projects editor, and in his last 12 years, deputy managing editor.