Through a number of narrative case studies, this book explores how innovative news-academic partnerships are reshaping the landscape of local journalism.

Local news is facing a dire outlook across the United States, and many rural and urban communities increasingly have little to no access to credible or comprehensive local news and information. As factors including the rise of online news sources and the consolidation of media ownership contribute to the decline in local news outlets, the battle to control local news - and therefore, the power to craft influential messages to communities -- has only intensified in recent years. In this book, Lara Salahi explores how news-academic partnerships are emerging as a viable business model for local news in which higher education institutions can be a strong contender against other entities in local news production and ownership. By examining successful case studies and innovative models, Salahi demonstrates how collaborations between local news outlets and academic institutions can provide financial stability, foster community engagement, and ensure the continuation of high-quality local news coverage. Through these partnerships, she posits, local news outlets can secure resources, expand their reach, and effectively serve as the bedrock of democratic societies by providing accurate, relevant, and community-centric news and information. Ultimately, this book explores both the opportunities and challenges offered by the transformational approach of news-academic partnerships to not only preserve the integrity of journalism, but also to enhance media literacy while ensuring the long-term survival of vital local news outlets.