It’s no secret that newspapers across the country exist in a fragile ecosystem. Automattic has long supported journalism and local media with investments in publications and platforms like Longreads, The Atavist, and Newspack. We believe that local news still matters—and now more than ever. That’s why we’re sponsoring Local News Day on April 9, 2026.
According to a recent annual report from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, nearly 3,500 U.S. newspapers have disappeared since 2005. Not only has that destroyed more than 270,000 jobs, but it’s left one in four Americans with limited access to a local print newspaper.
Yet, in a recent New York Times opinion piece, American Journalism Project CEO Sarabeth Berman notes a silver lining. “While the market failure of the newspaper business has been well documented,” she writes, “what is less known is how communities all over the country have responded to this crisis.” Americans still have a healthy appetite for local news, and although print newspapers are vanishing, local news thrives elsewhere: email, WhatsApp, YouTube, and other digital outlets.
Local News Day is the creation of John S. Adams, investigative reporter and founder of Montana Free Press, a Newspack publisher. Together with Montana Free Press, Press Forward, the American Journalism Project, and Automattic’s own Newspack and WordPress.com, we’re supporting the goal of connecting people with trusted local outlets and growing the audience of local newsrooms around the country.
Local News Day is a nonpartisan day of action, with organizations, businesses, and individuals invited to participate in any way that feels authentic to them. Think of it like Earth Day or National Voter Registration Day—an opportunity for partners, newsrooms, and local communities to celebrate in their unique way. There are plenty of ways to get involved, including partnering with Local News Day, adding your voice to amplify the impact, and putting your newsroom on the Newsroom Locator Tool. Learn how to join the movement.
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