Local journalism in Western Pennsylvania is at a pivotal moment. As legacy news institutions have closed in recent decades, citizens in several counties now reside in “news deserts.” The region’s experience has become a telling example of the local news crisis nationwide. Yet even as some newsrooms disappear, a new generation of independent journalists is fighting to fill the void and provide information their readers need.

A recent eCornell Keynote focused on the exciting coalition that has formed to support local journalists and news outlets: Cornell Law School’s First Amendment Clinic, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and Pittsburgh's PublicSource have joined forces to offer pro bono legal representation, trainings and convenings, and ongoing business and legal support. This model equips reporters with the tools and protection to pursue stories without fear while also laying the groundwork for similar efforts in other communities to safeguard press freedom and keep local journalism alive.

The panel included:

• Heather Murray, Associate Director, First Amendment Clinic and Managing Attorney, Local Journalism Project
• Adam Tragone, Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic, Local Journalism Attorney
• Halle Stockton, Editor-in-Chief, Co-Executive Director of Pittsburgh's Public Source
• Paula Knudsen Burke, Senior Supervising Attorney, The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

View the Keynote here.