Overview

Newsgatherers serve a vital role in our communities. Every day, millions of Americans rely on their local newspapers to get the latest information on what is happening locally, nationally, and internationally. Local newspapers not only help to create a sense of community but also form a fundamental part of American life. By keeping government officials and other policy- and decision-makers in check, a healthy local news ecosystem corresponds with lower municipal lending costs, while local and regional newspapers are also often responsible for some of the biggest scoops that affect the national discourse.

Niche publications aimed at certain racial or ethnic groups similarly provide high value to those communities and have been hard-hit by the transition to a Duopoly-dominated advertising marketplace.

Minority-owned news outlets occupy an important place in American journalistic history, and their continued survival – as well as the addition of new outlets – is threatened by the digital platforms’ anticompetitive practices.

This report investigates how the digital Duopoly’s dominance in the digital advertising ecosystem has impacted news outlets owned by and targeting non-white Americans.