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Social media replaces journalism in news deserts

IAB SmartBrief · last updated

Social media replaces journalism in news deserts

2026-02-11

About 50 million people in the US lack access to local journalism, especially in rural and suburban areas, but residents in these news deserts often don’t perceive themselves as deprived, research from the Medill Local News Initiative indicates. Community Facebook groups and social media influencers have helped fill the gap left by shuttered newspapers, but these sources often lack fact-checking and accountability, raising concerns about misinformation and the diminishing role of verified journalism.

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