“I am persuaded that the good sense of the people will always be found to be the best army. They may be led astray for a moment but will soon correct themselves. The people are the only censors of their governors, and…[t]o punish [their] errors too severely would be to suppress the only safeguard of the public liberty. The way to prevent these irregular interpositions of the people is to give them full information of their affairs through the channel of the public papers, and to contrive that those papers should penetrate the whole mass of the people.” —Thomas Jefferson, 1787

Throughout American history, there has been a strong connection between a vibrant environment of journalism and a healthy democracy. Widespread concern exists today, however, about how the challenges facing local journalism across the United States will affect civic life. In recognition of the vital role of local news in informing and connecting communities and enabling people to hold those in positions of power accountable, the University of Virginia’s Karsh Institute of Democracy, in partnership with Virginia Humanities, undertook the Virginia Local News Ecosystem Study to develop a baseline understanding of the media outlets serving the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

Local news outlets tend to be viewed as trusted sources of information. In a national survey conducted by the Karsh Institute during the 2024 presidential election, 65% of respondents said they had greater trust and confidence in local news media “when it comes to reporting the news fully, accurately, and fairly” compared to just 46% who said the same of national news media. More than a majority (56%) of respondents also reported that they used social media to “read about politics” when asked about their media usage “within the past 24 hours.” Yet, 65% of them also said they did not have very much trust or “not much at all” in the social media sites they visited when it came to “reporting news fully, accurately, and fairly.”

Building on the foundation of trust in local news media, this landscape assessment aimed to capture all conventional media outlets that provided local news and information about Virginia, identifying their areas of coverage, categorizing the types of stories and content topics, and surveying those outlets to surface their key needs and priorities. In addition to providing a clearer picture of local journalism in the Commonwealth, this study intended (1) to be a resource for those who want to support a flourishing ecosystem of local news and information and (2) to elevate the importance of local journalism as a cornerstone of accountability, civic connection, and engagement in public life. This study consisted of three main parts: an inventory of outlets, an analysis of coverage, and a survey of outlets. A thumbnail sketch of each outlet was also included in the report, along with a detailed methods section.

This landscape assessment aimed to capture all outlets providing Virginia with local news and information, to map their locations and areas of coverage, to identify the types of stories and content topics, and to surface their key needs and priorities.

This study was a first step toward understanding the complex and dynamic information ecosystem in Virginia. It did not capture the entire information environment, including other sources of news and information such as YouTube or Substack. The scope of this study was to provide a landscape assessment of conventional media outlets that was informative on its own and could serve as a foundation for additional research that would capture a comprehensive picture of the information environment in the Commonwealth.

Researchers identified 277 outlets producing news and information about the Commonwealth. Those outlets included TV and radio stations, newspapers and magazines, and digital platforms. Also included were outlets at institutions of higher education because they serve as sources of news for their communities and as important pipelines for professional journalism.

Outlets that were based in Virginia but focused their coverage on national news or issues were not included in this inventory.

The main takeaways from this inventory included:

• For-profit outlets made up the majority of news organizations in Virginia at 76.5%, while nonprofit outlets accounted for the remaining 23.5%.
• More than half of the nonprofit outlets in the state (37 of 65) were student-led at colleges and universities.
• Nonprofit and for-profit news organizations were distributed roughly proportionately across outlet types—e.g., TV, print and digital, or digital only. Radio was one exception, with 63% of all outlets being nonprofit.
• Outlets were more heavily concentrated in major metropolitan areas throughout the state, particularly in Northern Virginia, while the number of outlets in rural areas was significantly lower.
• A majority of news outlets (62%) produced news in both print and digital formats, meaning they generated print publications and maintained an online presence. Digital-only outlets, without accompanying print publications, accounted for 15%.
• Among nonprofit outlets, 22% were digital-only publications; among for-profit outlets, 13% were digital-only.
• Daily news coverage made up the largest share of the overall landscape, accounting for 38% of the inventory, followed by 29% that produced information on a weekly schedule.
• During the five-month period of this study, at least three outlets closed and several merged. This suggests the local media landscape was evolving.

For-profit outlets made up the majority of news organizations in Virginia at 76.5%, while nonprofit outlets accounted for the remaining 23.5%.

Researchers analyzed more than 2,500 articles produced by digital/print and digital-only outlets, capturing story type, authorship, and topics of coverage.

Key takeaways from this content analysis included:

• Of the 2,518 articles examined, news event stories made up the overwhelming majority of coverage across outlets (85%). 10% were enterprise stories, which feature original or investigative reporting. Opinion writing was 5%.
• A majority of news content produced by local outlets covering Virginia was from “bylined” authors (65%).
• 93% of articles produced by student-led outlets at institutions of higher education were from “bylined” authors.
• Among the 14 topic areas used to classify stories, the most commonly covered across all outlets were “business and economy” (17%), “local people and groups” (16.9%), “arts and culture” (14.5%), and “sports” (14%).
• Nonprofit outlets tended to focus on topics such as “local people and groups” and “arts and culture.” For-profit outlets tended to focus on “business and economy” and “sports.”
• Student-led outlets at colleges and universities devoted significantly more coverage to sports (26%) than other nonprofit outlets (6%). The most frequently covered topics in news event stories were connected to “business and economy” (17.4%).
• Enterprise stories most often focused on “local groups and people” (37%) and “arts and culture” (33%).
• Opinion writing tended to be about “arts and culture” (32%) and “social issues and religion” (19%).

News event stories made up the overwhelming majority of coverage by outlets (85%). 10% were enterprise stories, featuring original or investigative reporting. Opinion writing constituted 5%. 

Researchers surveyed the outlets identified in order to understand their operations and current priorities and needs. The team received 81 replies, for a 29% response rate, with roughly proportional representation from print, broadcast, and digital-only outlets, as well as from nonprofit and for-profit outlets.

Key takeaways from the survey included:

• 78% of survey respondents reported an increase in audience size over the past two years, especially online—85% said their digital audience increased.
• 63% of outlets operated with five or fewer full-time employees, and 49% identified increasing staff capacity and/or growing their audience as critical to their long-term survival.
• When asked to select their top three staffing priorities, 56% said business and revenue capacities, 49% said they needed more reporters, and 42% said digital and technical capacities. Of those who selected digital and technical capabilities, the majority (53%) noted that the biggest need was around improving their digital presentation on web and mobile platforms.
• A majority of outlets (63%) said they were operating on annual budgets under $250,000 with five or fewer full-time employees.
• 20% of outlets were less than five years old. Specifically, 6% were founded within the past two years, and 73% were founded more than 10 years ago.
• On questions of financial stability, when asked if they were confident that “their organization would be financially solvent in five years,” 16% strongly or somewhat disagreed, 30% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 54% either strongly or somewhat agreed.
• 55% of outlets said they have diversified their revenue streams in the past two years, including through events, tiered memberships, and expanded marketing, as part of broader efforts to achieve long-term sustainability.
• Among nonprofit outlets, 63% said that an initial grant or donation was essential when launching the organization. Over half (60%) of those initial contributions were less than $250,000.
• Nearly all survey respondents (94%) reported using social media to reach audiences, with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and YouTube as the most used platforms. Yet, 24% identified social media as one of their biggest competitors.
• Several outlets reported exploring new approaches to coverage, such as adding podcasts or piloting new programs targeted to specific audiences.

When asked to select their top three staffing priorities, 56% said business and revenue capacities, 49% said they needed more reporters, and 42% said digital and technical capabilities.

*Data reflects the time during which this research was conducted. In most cases, percentages were rounded to the nearest whole number for clarity.

To better understand the coverage across the Commonwealth, researchers worked with the Scholars' Lab at the University of Virginia to map coverage areas.

The Commonwealth of Virginia is divided into 95 counties and 38 independent cities. These maps show—by county and independent city—the numbers of outlets that provided news and information about Virginia. The data for the maps were informed by this study's inventory of outlets and were based on publicly available information that outlets provided about their coverage, as well as their survey responses. 

• Coverage of Virginia by Distribution Medium
• Coverage of Virginia by Organization Type