From one small town to another: My newfound appreciation for local journalism

My hometown is a news desert.

Sure, we have Hamilton’s Journal-News and all the Cincinnati publications like The Enquirer, but we don’t have anything specific to us. Plus, it feels like every notable story is blocked by a paywall.

My 20 years of existence have been spent in the confines of Butler County, and I’ve never known what it's like to have a local publication – until two years ago.

I came to Miami University in the fall of 2023, ecstatic about studying journalism and working at The Miami Student. I consumed a lot of our coverage to stay informed about what was happening at Miami. Although our reporting of Oxford was limited at times, what we did publish kept me educated about the town.

I enjoyed having a source of news specific to my area. I valued that we had local reporters covering local, important issues to the community. The Student, and eventually The Oxford Free Press, breathed life into the tiny bubble called Oxford I now lived in. 

It made me think about my hometown and how similar events were likely happening there. I wondered how my town could benefit from a local publication dedicated to just our town.

Journalism is important, whether it's national issues or local stories. Breaking news and investigative reporting are crucial. But a quick, two-minute brief on the latest news at The White House is just as important as a profile on a small town organization starting construction on a new facility.

And now, after interning at the Free Press, a new passion has sparked in me.

My four months at the Oxford Free Press recently came to an end. I gained so much from the experience, such as how to report appropriately on crime, write quality photo captions and cold call sources. Although I didn’t do nearly as much reporting as my fellow intern or the editors I worked under, I still wrote stories I’m proud of. 

But, there's one thing I left with that triumphs all: an appreciation for local journalism.

Sure, I was editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper. I enjoyed telling stories from people who were previously unheard or unrecognized, and I continued with local journalism at The Student and the Free Press. It’s all I’ve ever done.

But it wasn’t something I felt I had a burning, fiery passion about; it was just my introduction to the industry. I just knew I wanted to write, it didn't matter where.

At the same time, I’ve never wanted to write for prominent publications. It doesn’t interest me like it does my friends, who want to write for The New York Times or ESPN. It’s not that I think I can’t achieve it; it's that I don’t want it.

In the back of my mind, I think I expected to end up in local journalism, like it was something inevitable.

But now, it's what I want. It's what I crave.

I don’t want to work for a publication with millions of followers. I don’t want to do red carpet interviews with big-name celebrities (Although, if the opportunity arises for a profile on Sophia Lillis or Matthew Gray Gubler, my inbox is always open).

I want small. I want community. I want local.

I don’t know how reporters don’t feel drawn to it. Are you not intrigued by the different businesses and places you drive by when passing through a town? Do you not wonder what the culture is like in a town an hour away?

Do you not want to advocate for the truly unheard? Do you not want to help promote a new business with your article? Do you not want the genuine appreciation from community members that comes with it?

Maybe it's not the wealthiest of jobs, or the one that will get you the most recognition, but that's not what fuels me. 

It's the praise from residents. It's the quick, short email in my inbox, expressing their love of a story I recently published. It's the realization that someone cares about the work they provide for the community, even if they don’t recognize their impact.

Since starting at Miami, career paths have opened up for me that I could have never imagined for myself. I ultimately have no idea where I’ll end up or what I’ll accomplish along the way.

Maybe you will see me on the front page of The New York Times one day. Maybe you’ll read about my newest position as editor-in-chief of some prestigious magazine.

Or maybe you’ll find me in a quiet, small rural town, reporting on what matters most: community.