As the 2026 midterm elections approach, the need for robust local news coverage has never been more urgent. In recent months, concerns have mounted over how commercial local TV stations claim to serve their communities but in practice focus on national content that boosts profits rather than addressing neighborhood-specific issues. With the FCC's ownership cap lifted in 2026, media giants like Gray, Scripps, Sinclair, and Nexstar have increasingly prioritized national stories over local reporting, leaving many communities without the information they need to make informed decisions at the polls.
This Labor Day weekend and through the 2026 midterms, readers are encouraged to donate or subscribe directly to nonprofit local news outlets. Such support ensures reliable, nonpartisan coverage of mayoral races, city councils, county executives, state legislatures, Congress, and governorships—content that is often missing from local TV. As Dak Dillon noted in a recent op-ed for NewscastStudio, local stations now spend precious airtime reading national headlines that viewers have already seen on their phones. He writes, "Running a national package or reading a wire rundown isn't a service to the audience in 2026. It's dead air with a local anchor's face on it." This shift means that for-profit media must please both FCC Chairman Carr and investors, often at the expense of local journalism.
To truly get local news, readers must turn to nonprofit outlets. In California, CalMatters provides nonpartisan, statewide coverage, while Bay City News serves the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California. San Francisco Public Press focuses on under-covered topics for underserved audiences, and Mission Local delivers high-impact reporting on San Francisco's neighborhoods. In Solano County, Open Vallejo illuminates police violence and corruption, while the Vallejo Sun covers democracy and government. The Central Valley Journalism Collaborative strengthens local news in the San Joaquin Valley.
Nationally, organizations like the States Newsroom provide nonpartisan coverage from every state capital, and the Institute for Nonprofit News supports over 500 independent newsrooms. Civic News Company, parent of Chalkbeat, Votebeat, and Healthbeat, covers education, elections, and public health. AAN represents alternative local media, and LION Publishers helps independent news businesses thrive. Donating to these outlets ensures that democracy, free speech, and reliable information prevail at the local level. If news deserts can exist in San Francisco, the impact on suburbs and small towns is even more severe. By supporting local news, readers can help combat misinformation and hold power accountable this election season.
