It’s easy to list the metrics that detail the demise of the journalism profession, easy to make profound statements on the importance of journalism to a democracy — and easy to suggest new business models for the industry.
All of this was sprinkled throughout the speeches Tuesday night in Florham Park during the fourth annual the Byrne-Kean Dinner to support local journalism.
Here’s what is hard: Actually doing local journalism.
Kevin Coughlin, the editor (and sole employee) of Morristown Green has been doing just that since 2010, when he took over an idea that started in newsroom of The Star-Ledger. (Full disclosure, Coughlin and I were colleagues at The Star-Ledger when the hyperlocal site was launched).
It’s a seemingly thankless effort to do what everyone says they want: Solid local journalism, based on facts — and stemming from old school on-the-street reporting.
Coughlin reports on news both good and bad – everything from government board meetings to feel-good stories about students at the high school. And he does so without a political slant.
Few towns in the state, let alone the country, still have such a dedicated and determined reporter.
Is anyone willing to pay for that?
In a state where we don’t think twice about paying $5 for a cup of coffee – or a service fee for someone to go buy us that coffee or numerous other meals … in a moment in time where we willingly give tips (20%-30%) to anyone who shoves an iPad in our face – or send money to GoFundMe asks around the country and around the world … are we willing to pay for the local journalism that everyone says they want?
Coughlin told the crowd of a few hundred the honest answer: No.
He joked about taking over the site nearly 15 years ago.
“When I decided in 2010 to plow ahead as a solo act, it violated the first thing that I learned as a newspaper guy: Follow the money,” he said. “There is none.”
Coughlin detailed what there is.
“There are no days off,” he said. “We work through family crises. We work through evictions. We work through site crashes and hackers, bots and trolls. We work through shingles and long COVID. We work through surgery and worse.
“You can’t do this if you’re the breadwinner. You can’t do this with a hefty mortgage. And you can’t do this with kids in college. You don’t dream about great nights. You daydream about a good night’s sleep.”
The ‘We’ in those sentences represents hyperlocal journalists around the country. Coughlin goes it alone in Morristown, surviving on limited donations from a limited few.
The Corporation for New Jersey Local Media is working to change that.
The organization, which sponsored the event, is doing terrific work in helping to support grassroots journalism – and working to change the narrative on journalism.
It honored Coughlin with the Local Impact in N.J. Journalism Award, one of a handful of honors it handed out, including:
- Colleen O’Dea of NJ Spotlight and Colleen Wilson of The Record/North Jersey.com with Statewide Impact in N.J. Journalism Award;
- Robin Wilson-Glover of The Star-Ledger/NJ.com with the Lifetime Achievement Award;
- Ishani Bakshi and Zoe Van Gelder, high school students, with the Student Impact in Journalism award.
The event also honored the Lenfest Institute with the inaugural Loretta Weinberg Award that honors non-journalists who have made a significant contribution to journalism (which Lenfest has through its nonprofit, especially in South Jersey).
Local journalism matters. And is valued.
One of the many metrics on the industry offered during the event was this: Recent studies have shown the trust in local reporting exceeds that of national reporting — and the gap is widening.
Former Gov. Tom Kean, still the most revered politician in the state, offered his support for the industry.
“Democracy doesn’t work unless you have real journalism: Journalism that works, journalism that cares, journalism that’s unafraid and journalism that can bring the true facts,” he said.
Now it’s time for you to offer yours.
ROI-NJ will be making $100 donations to both the Corporation for New Jersey Local Media and the Morristown Green.
The challenge is for ten other readers to do the same in the next 24 hours. We’ll report back later this week.
Donate here:
