American Deadline

American Deadline offers a fresh and unique chronicle of a year we’ll never forget—2020—through the lens of four communities where newspapers have weakened or vanished. These dispatches from the front lines of democracy—communities in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia—remind us of what's lost when Americans have only national (and increasingly partisan) news sources. American Deadline reminds us that local news is never more needed than in a crisis like a pandemic. We need local news not just to hold local officials accountable but to provide a more nuanced, textured view of politics from the ground up. Communities across America have been starved of reliable local news. This book vividly illustrates the dire consequences for our democracy. -- Sewell Chan, editor in chief of The Texas Tribune
For those of us trying to bolster local news in the U.S., American Deadline offers more compelling evidence for why this coverage matters. In a series of astute, nuanced dispatches, four veteran journalists describe the same year in the life of their disparate communities after their local newsroom has withered or died. Critical elections with no candidate coverage. Rampant Covid misinformation. No government watchdogs. This is front-line reporting that’s a must read. -- Kim Kleman, executive director, Report for America
Well-written and comprehensive, American Deadline is a fascinating look at how the tensions that are tearing us apart at the national level also affect community life. -- Dan Kennedy, author of The Return of the Moguls: How Jeff Bezos and John Henry Are Remaking Newspapers for the Twenty-First Century
[A] unique and often heart-wrenching collaboration . . . the reporting is consistently fine-grained, evocative, and insightful. It’s a fitting testament to the value of local journalism. * Publishers Weekly *
[This book] serves as a valuable resource for those unfamiliar with the lived experiences within news deserts or areas impacted by the decline of local news, while also complementing the growing body of academic work in the space. Above all, the authors compellingly demonstrate that the loss of local news profoundly affects readers. * Journalism *
Those who believe that introspection is the path to progress — as I do — will be captivated by this book. -- Larry Fennelly * Macon Telegraph *