iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Tim Franklin @timafranklin.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

The @localnewsini.bsky.social @medillschool.bsky.social posted today a new interactive map of areas at high risk of becoming news deserts. It's based on a predictive model developed by Medill data scientists and the Local News Initiative team. localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects/sta...

localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu

The State of Local News 2024 | Local News Initiative

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Tim Franklin @timafranklin.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Florida billionaire David Hoffman aims to be largest local newspaper publisher in America, reports @brierdudley.bsky.social of the @seattletimes-rss.bsky.social. He's making a play to buy Lee and snapping up shares of The Dallas MN. Could McClatchy be a target? www.seattletimes.com/opinion/flor...

seattletimes.com

Florida investor aims to be America's largest newspaper publisher

A Florida billionaire buying up newspapers aims to become the country's largest publisher. Let's hope he's sincerely committed to saving local news.

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Reposted by Tim Franklin

Doreen Weisenhaus @doreenweisenhaus.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

#ijf25 @journalismfestival.com #Perugia Tim Franklin (Medill, Northwestern University) on Future of Local News panel describes the vital role that universities have in "stepping up to provide journalism for low information communities." @medillschool.bsky.social @timafranklin.bsky.social

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Tim Franklin @timafranklin.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

I enjoyed joining @rebeccasnyder.bsky.social, director of the Maryland Delaware DC Press Association, for a wide-ranging podcast discussion of expanding local news deserts, rapidly changing media ownership and innovations that are showing promise in local journalism. www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRBM...

youtube.com

E99 - State of Local News Report

YouTube video by MDDC Press Association

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Tim Franklin @timafranklin.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Experts warn that Mark Zuckerberg's decision to eliminate fact-checking will be a double whammy for residents in the nation's widening number of local news deserts, reports the @localnewsini.bsky.social @medillschool.bsky.social. localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2025/0...

localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu

Deserted By Fact-Checking

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement that Facebook is eliminating fact-checking may amount to a double whammy for people living in this country’s ever-expanding news deserts.

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Tim Franklin @timafranklin.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

The @localnewsini.bsky.social released its full State of Local News Report this morning. It shows the grinding losses of local newspapers and the growing number of counties at high-risk of losing local news. It also chronicles a net gain of more than 105 digital-only local news sites in 2024.

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Tim Franklin @timafranklin.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

The crisis in local news goes deeper than news deserts. There's a growing problem of "ghost newspapers." @localnewsini.bsky.social @medillschool.bsky.social's @markcaro.bsky.social traveled to Massachusetts where there's a region haunted by ghosts localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2024/1...

localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu

Haunted By Ghost Papers

PLYMOUTH, Mass. – Mark Pothier was wrapping up the young-adult phase of his music career, including a 1983 stint as keyboardist for the then-synthy band Ministry, when he took a $5 an hour job for the...

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Tim Franklin @timafranklin.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

Political commentator @chriscillizza.bsky.social highlighted the @localnewsini.bsky.social new study on presidential election results in news deserts. chriscillizza.substack.com/p/chris-cruc.... He said the Medill study included "the two most amazing paragraphs I have read about the election.

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Reposted by Tim Franklin

Paul Farhi @farhip.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

New: Trump won the popular vote narrowly. But in news deserts—counties where there are no local news sources or reporters —he won in a landslide. Latest by me and @volk_maps for Medill School’s Local News Initiative. localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2024/1...

localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu

In news deserts, Trump won in a landslide

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Tim Franklin @timafranklin.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

Researchers @medillschool.bsky.social @localnewsini.bsky.social have found that while Trump won the popular vote by only 1.5%, he won local news desert counties in a landslide. Why? We talked talked to experts like @stevenwaldman.bsky.social. localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2024/1...

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Tim Franklin @timafranklin.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

New research from the @medillschool.bsky.social @localnewsini.bsky.social shows that Donald Trump won 91% of local news desert counties by an average margin of 54%. What does this mean? We talked to experts like @stevenwaldman.bsky.social. localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2024/1...

localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu

In news deserts, Trump won in a landslide

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