The history of journalism dates back centuries. Starting with word of mouth, it evolved to becoming recorded and reaching people miles apart.
Undoubtedly, it’s taken many different forms, but almost always, there was an option to get local news — news that’s run by outlets targeted at those who live in its community.Â
When considering local news in Toronto, the broadcast and digital outlet CP24 might come to mind; however, tuning into that channel demonstrates that it not only has local news but also broader, more international coverage.
Networks like CP24 aren’t independent; they are run by a much larger organization. A nostalgic example is StarMetro, a free commuter paper published by the Toronto Star, which was a great way to spend a subway ride up until 2019 when it ceased publication.
This same declining trend can be said about local news networks worldwide.Â
Now, with a click on almost any device, almost anywhere, one can get in touch with worldwide news in minutes. As a result of this easier availability it left local news forgotten, and sometimes even unnecessary. While this may seem simply like a loss of a “retro” source of entertainment for us in big cities, for rural communities, more is at stake.Â
Rural communities aren’t in the headlines of big news networks as much as bigger cities like Toronto. Getting the news they need depends on local news networks; the less available they are, the more pushed they are to rely on social media.Â
People like April Lindgren, a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, are highlighting how this can be a threat to democracy. Fake news thrives online, and without credible sources validating the news circulating, anything can be posted.
Worse, without local coverage, local decisions aren’t reported to those who live there, so they are unable to find out what’s happening in their communities until it’s happened. This silences civilians’ right to disagree and allows municipalities to get away with almost anything they want.Â
Lindgren started a study back in 2008 called “The Local News Research Project” where she and a team of researchers track the closing and opening of local news networks around Canada. In the latest data set published in December, they noted the closing of 526 local news outlets from 2008 to December 2024, while 274 of the 402 local outlets that launched in this time frame remain open. This indicates an overall loss of the critical resource of local news.
Lindgren says this trend could seep into bigger cities over time if not addressed, affecting us all in the long run.Â
Supporting local news networks is a step toward maintaining democracy and community connections. After reading this, I encourage you to check out The Local, one of my favourite Toronto-based online local news organizations.Â