April 14, 2020: Reimagining Journalism: Local Journalism in Crisis

On April 3, Advance Publications announced the layoffs of 22 Plain Dealer reporters, citing the ongoing financial challenges of producing a daily newspaper. Four days later, on April 7, 10 of the remaining 14 reporters were told they would be reassigned to only cover stories in the region\'s outlying counties: Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, and Portage. On April 10, they asked to be laid off. The move was met with outrage from the community which has seen the number of journalists decrease for years. But Cleveland is not unique -- it\'s a trend that is evident in many cities as newspapers struggle to find their place in an increasingly digital world.\r\nWhat do these changes mean for the future of the free press, in Cleveland and around the country? What efforts are being employed to fill the void created when a newspaper scales back or closes? What are we losing -- as a country and a democracy -- as the number of journalists continue to dwindle? Join us for a conversation with NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik on the intersection of journalism, free speech, an educated citizenry, and democracy.\r\n