NEWSWELL wants to transform journalism. Can they help solve the local news crisis?

CAPITOL WEEKLY PODCAST: Local journalism in the United States is in crisis. Almost 40% of all local newspapers in the US have vanished since 2005, leaving “news deserts,” areas that lack consistent local reporting. Many of these areas now have no local reporting; in others, legitimate news outlets have been replaced by “Pink Slime” – partisan “fake news” websites masquerading as independent local news. What can be done to stop the collapse of local news?

Two years ago, Arizona State University launched NEWSWELL, a nonprofit organization that offers comprehensive wraparound services – including fundraising – to their newsroom partners, helping them build sustainable business models. NEWSWELL now has a string of 15 news outlets, including 11 in California. We’re joined by Nicole Carroll, Executive Director of NEWSWELL and a professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She shares the vision behind NEWSWELL, explains the ASU connection and looks at what indie news needs to survive.

2:06 Billionaires tax

3:01 Litigation around card rooms

3:29 Insurance Commissioner candidates

5:56 Nicole Carroll

7:29 The California Connection

9:09 Plight of local news

11:09 The Cronkite School

11:57 ASU internship program

13:27 Capitol Weekly internships

14:11 New study: Media Impact Funders

21:33 The Pulitzer Committee

24:00 Leisure time?

25:43 #WWCA