Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Facebook Says Service Hindered by Lack of Local News
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
March 18, 2019

Share

NEW YORK — Facebook’s effort to establish a service that provides its users with local news and information is being hindered by the lack of outlets where the company’s technicians can find original reporting.

The service, launched last year, is currently available in some 400 cities in the United States. But the social media giant said it has found that 40 percent of Americans live in places where there weren’t enough local news stories to support it.

Facebook announced Monday it would share its research with academics at Duke, Harvard, Minnesota and North Carolina who are studying the extent of news deserts created by newspaper closures and staff downsizing .

Some 1,800 newspapers have closed in the United States over the last 15 years, according to the University of North Carolina. Newsroom employment has declined by 45 percent as the industry struggles with a broken business model partly caused by the success of companies on the Internet, including Facebook.

The Facebook service, called “Today In ,” collects news stories from various local outlets, along with government and community groups. The company deems a community unsuitable for “Today In” if it cannot find a single day in a month with at least five news items available to share.

Facebook Doesn’t Necessarily Have the Answers

There’s not a wide geographical disparity. For example, the percentage of news deserts is higher in the Northeast and Midwest, at 43 percent, Facebook said. In the South and West, the figure is 38 percent.

“It affirms the fact that we have a real lack of original local reporting.” — Penelope Muse Abernathy, a University of North Carolina professor

“It affirms the fact that we have a real lack of original local reporting,” said Penelope Muse Abernathy, a University of North Carolina professor who studies the topic. She said she hopes the data helps pinpoint areas where the need is greatest, eventually leading to some ideas for solutions.

Facebook doesn’t necessarily have the answers. “Everyone can learn from working together,” said Anne Kornblut, director of news initiatives at the company.

The company plans to award some 100 grants, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000, to people with ideas for making more news available, said Josh Mabry, head of local news partnerships for Facebook.

That comes on top of $300 million in grants Facebook announced in January to help programs and partnerships designed to boost local news.

The company doesn’t plan to launch newsgathering efforts of its own, Kornblut said.

“Our history has been — and we will probably stick to it — to let journalists do what they do well and let us support them and let them do their work,” she said.

DON'T MISS

Caitlin Clark and Iowa Draw Nearly 5 Million Viewers for Second-Round NCAA Win

DON'T MISS

Canadian School Boards Sue Snapchat, TikTok and Meta for Disrupting Students’ Education

DON'T MISS

California Law Enforcement Agencies Obstruct Transparency Efforts in Use-of-Force Cases

DON'T MISS

No Police Charges for Taylor Swift’s Dad Over Paparazzi Incident in Sydney

DON'T MISS

Biden Administration to Lend $1.5B to Restart Michigan Nuclear Power Plant, a First in the US

DON'T MISS

Tonight’s Biden Fundraiser With Obama and Clinton Already Nets a Record $25 Million

DON'T MISS

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP Pick in 2000, Dead at 82

DON'T MISS

Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case

DON'T MISS

Police Had About 90 Seconds to Stop Traffic Before Baltimore Bridge Fell. 6 Workers Are Feared Dead

DON'T MISS

NBC Has Cut Ties With Former RNC Head Ronna McDaniel After Employee Objections, Some on the Air

No data was found

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Rises to More Records to Close Out Its Latest Winning Month

40 mins ago

A Fresno County First: Kerman Council Passes Amended Gaza Cease-Fire Resolution

42 mins ago

UN Top Court Orders Israel to Open More Land Crossings for Aid into Gaza

47 mins ago

How Involved Is Southern California Consulting Firm in FUSD Executive Dealings?

1 hour ago

Biden’s Fundraiser with Obama and Clinton Nets a Record $25 Million, His Campaign Says

2 hours ago

Fresno Unified’s Self-Protection Racket Is Hurting Our Kids

2 hours ago

Rockin’ Out or Laughing, the Valley Has Its Pick of Weekend Events

3 hours ago

Ex-Correctional Officer at Women’s Prison in California Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Inmates

5 hours ago

Caitlin Clark and Iowa Draw Nearly 5 Million Viewers for Second-Round NCAA Win

5 hours ago

Canadian School Boards Sue Snapchat, TikTok and Meta for Disrupting Students’ Education

6 hours ago

Cronenworth’s Big Hit Helps Lift the Padres to a 6-4 Win Over Melvin’s Giants

SAN DIEGO — Jake Cronenworth’s two-run double highlighted a four-run seventh inning for the San Diego Padres, who beat the San Francis...

1 min ago

1 min ago

Cronenworth’s Big Hit Helps Lift the Padres to a 6-4 Win Over Melvin’s Giants

18 mins ago

Shohei Ohtani Reaches 3 Times in Home Debut as the Dodgers Rout the Cardinals 7-1

30 mins ago

Facebook News Tab Will Soon Be Unavailable as Meta Scales Back News and Political Content

40 mins ago

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Rises to More Records to Close Out Its Latest Winning Month

42 mins ago

A Fresno County First: Kerman Council Passes Amended Gaza Cease-Fire Resolution

47 mins ago

UN Top Court Orders Israel to Open More Land Crossings for Aid into Gaza

1 hour ago

How Involved Is Southern California Consulting Firm in FUSD Executive Dealings?

2 hours ago

Biden’s Fundraiser with Obama and Clinton Nets a Record $25 Million, His Campaign Says

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend