Whosinchargeofthenews
State Capitol in Springfield
Reginald Hardwick/Illinois Newsroom

Can a new taskforce save Illinois journalism?

As we asked "Who is in charge of the news?" we looked at the new Local Journalism Task Force, signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker. To find out who’s on the task force, their goals, and whether it will save local, independent journalism, we were joined by the bill’s creator, the bill's co-sponsor, the news director at Northern Public Radio, and a journalism professor.

A gauge shows the rate of papers being printed at The State Journal-Register in Springfield on Feb. 28, 2011. It was the last local run of the SJ-R — after that, the parent company dismantled the press and moved printing operations to Peoria, one of the early cost-cutting moves in what would be a decade of reductions.
Brian Mackey

What a shrinking newspaper costs a community

Some version of the newspaper known today as The State-Journal Register has been published in Springfield and Sangamon County since 1831, but today, The newspaper of today is a shadow of what it once was. Today on the program, we talk about what's lost when a community sees its newspaper shrinks.

Coming October 25: Who’s in charge of the news?

Next week: The 21st is talking about news deserts, news ownership, and news literacy in Illinois. Share your concerns about local news by leaving us a voicemail at 217.300.2121 or emailing talk@21stshow.org

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