Is the City of Carson in a “News Desert”?

“News deserts,” communities no longer covered by daily newspapers, are growing rapidly across the country. A recent report from the University of North Carolina found more than 1,800 local newspapers — more than 1 in 5 local papers across the U.S. — have closed since 2004. California lost the most daily papers of any state, losing 15% of its papers in the last 15 years.

The City of Carson is still covered occasionally by The Daily Breeze, and “big stories” make it to The L.A. Times and other regional news. But for a city of nearly 100,000 residents, few would argue there is sufficient coverage of local news and events in the City, and there are no dedicated daily or even weekly publications devoted strictly to Carson.

Local news provides a vital sense of community, of shared facts and oversight of the local government — all factors that contribute to a robust democracy. When the number of news outlets are limited, so is access to the democratic process. As CityLab notes in a recent article, “cities where newspapers closed up shop saw increases in government costs as a result of the lack of scrutiny over local deals.”

This is just one tangible effect of the lack of news coverage on a community. This is why Carson Accountability & Transparency remains committed to publishing The Carson Observer.

Through printed editions such as this, and more so with our online and social media accounts, The Observer is the sole publication covering all City Council meetings, doing in-depth reporting on Carson’s government and leaders, and looking deeply at local elections.

We thank you for taking the time to read The Observer, and encourage you to find us online at CarsonCAT.org and at Facebook.com/CarsonAccountability. Your valuable input makes The Observer a beneficial news source for the community. You can email us news and tips at info@carsoncat.org.