The students running The Oglethorpe Echo have seen the power of local news firsthand. Hertzog recalls when they discovered that lawmakers were quietly raising the trash tax, or when they learned that the county hadn’t received broadband funding. Without the paper, residents likely wouldn’t have known, she notes.
Not all local news focuses on holding officials accountable, however. Sometimes articles highlight fun and interesting things too. Armani Kardar, now 24, who covered sports for the Echo, said he found joy in interacting with the community, whether he was reporting on an 8-year-old basketball star or a hunting test for cocker spaniels.
“The people I interview are always so thankful,” he said last year, adding that the stories were especially meaningful when readers recognize their neighbors and friends who are featured.
Young people are stepping in to help in other places too. Journalism students at the University of Kansas, for example, recently revived a newspaper in a small community that hadn’t had coverage since 2009. And in some places, a college or high school publication might be the only source of local updates, with reporters covering events and city council meetings. Many of these young journalists bring a fresh perspective to traditional news, pushing for coverage of communities that have historically been left out of the media.
Some experts worry about the ethics of asking unpaid students to fill in for professional reporters to save money. At the Echo, though, students are quick to point out the benefits.
“I think this is one of the greatest ideas ever,” Kardar said. “The amount of development I’ve had as an individual and as a reporter and a writer is so insane. . . . I genuinely do feel like we’re making a difference.”