Local Reporters Are Being Furloughed When Communities Need Them Most

Newsrooms around the country are closing up shop. In many places, it started with temporary pay cuts or furloughs to weather the economic impact of the pandemic, but now, many communities are facing a permanent void when it comes to local news coverage. 

Kristen Hare covers local news innovation at Poynter, a nonprofit journalism institute and media research organization. She’s been tracking furloughs, layoffs and pay cuts in the news industry. We’re also joined by David Heinzmann from The Chicago Tribune.  He covers issues related to government, politics and crime.  He’s also on the paper’s union bargaining committee, which negotiated furloughs there. Molly Parker is a general assignment reporter who also works on investigative projects at The Southern Illinoisans in Carbondale. Her small newsroom has also faced furloughs in recent weeks. 

Guests: Kristen Hare, covers local news innovation at Poynter

David Heinzmann, reporter with the Chicago Tribune

Molly Parker, reporter at The Southern Illinoisan