Local News Keeps Local Leaders Accountable

This piece is the fifth in a series that will take you through THE CITY’s impact and values.

We hope this series will move you to contribute to our spring fundraising campaign . Reader donations make THE CITY’s work possible: we couldn’t do it without you.

Without local news, local problems don’t get solved, and communities that aren’t informed can’t hold their leaders accountable. From trash collection to prison conditions and elections, ground up coverage by reporters who are passionate about New York City makes the difference.

But it is getting harder and harder to access quality, independent local journalism.

Over 2,000 local newspapers have shut down since the early 2000s. In New York City, supposedly a media metropolis, major outlets have drastically cut staff, especially around local coverage — while small, hyperlocal outlets struggle to survive. News deserts abound in the five boroughs. Partisan tabloids dominate the remaining space, driving polarization and eroding civic discourse.

Despite these challenges, we at THE CITY have pioneered an impactful model of journalism that reaches from the most underserved neighborhoods to the halls of power. We have built trust with everyday New Yorkers, held leaders accountable, and driven a more nuanced public dialogue. We’ve been working for five years to create this community of readers, and we hope to be here for many more.

But we can’t do that work without reader support. We’re a nonprofit newsroom, dedicated to providing our journalism free to all. Donations from readers power our newsroom — which is why we’ve been reaching out about our spring fundraising campaign. Today is the last day of the fundraiser, so we’re pulling out all the stops: When you make a contribution of any amount today, your donation will be tripled .

THE CITY is a nonprofit newsroom that serves the people of New York. Sign up for our SCOOP newsletter and get exclusive stories, helpful tips, a guide to low-cost events, and everything you need to know to be a well-informed New Yorker. DONATE to THE CITY

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