Rough Draft Atlanta is among the founding newsrooms participating in Local News Day, a new nationwide effort launching April 9 to connect communities with local journalism. WABE, Canopy Atlanta, Atlanta Civic Circle, and The Atlanta Voice are among the local Atlanta organizations also participating.
The initiative, coordinated by Montana Free Press, brings together more than 1,000 local newsrooms across the country alongside partner organizations including Newspack, which powers Rough Draft’s website, Google, the American Journalism Project, and Press Forward.
The campaign aims to demonstrate how local news powers informed civic decisions, builds community ties, and holds institutions accountable.
“Americans overwhelmingly rank local news as their most important and trusted source of information,” organizers said. “However, this work only thrives when our readers and neighbors are active participants.”
The day of action represents a coordinated response to growing concerns about the sustainability of local journalism amid ongoing industry challenges. By uniting newsrooms nationwide on a single day, organizers hope to spotlight the essential role community journalism plays in democratic life.
Readers can learn more about Local News Day at LocalNewsDay.org.
The initiative marks one of the largest coordinated efforts by local newsrooms to engage communities and demonstrate the value of locally focused reporting.
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