Tribal Stations Sustain Civic Life in America’s News Deserts

Opportunity Editorial by Loris Taylor, President & CEO, Native Public Media

Across the United States, local news is disappearing and with it, the civic health of entire communities.

More than 2,500 local newspapers have closed since 2005, leaving over 70 million people living in what researchers describe as “news deserts.” ¹ These are places where residents lack consistent access to local reporting about schools, elections, public safety, and government accountability. When local news vanishes, voter turnout declines, public corruption rises, and trust in civic institutions weakens. ²

Yet in Indian Country, a powerful counterexample persists.

Tribal radio and television stations function as the water centers of America’s news deserts. Where a Tribal station exists, so does news. And where news exists, civic health improves.

In many rural and Tribal communities, Tribal stations are the only locally based newsrooms within hundreds of miles. They provide daily reporting, emergency alerts, election coverage, and public affairs programming in regions where commercial media have withdrawn. They broadcast in English and in Native languages, reaching Elders, families, and remote households that broadband and cellular networks often fail to serve.

This role is not symbolic. It is structural.

Research shows that communities without local news experience lower civic engagement, fewer candidates running for office, higher municipal borrowing costs, and increased polarization. ³ Local journalism acts as a stabilizing force, supporting informed participation and accountability. When that journalism disappears, communities pay the price.

Tribal media fills this gap with consistency and trust.

During COVID-19, wildfires, floods, and missing-person emergencies, Tribal stations are often the first and sometimes the only source of real-time information. In regions where internet access is unreliable and social media spreads misinformation, radios remain on kitchen tables and dashboards. Families listen together. Elders depend on familiar voices. Lives are protected because information flows.

Beyond emergencies, these stations announce Tribal council meetings, explain policy decisions, interview candidates, and create space for community dialogue. They make governance visible and participation possible. This is civic infrastructure at work.

Today, more than 60 Tribal radio and television stations serve Native Nations across 12 states. Many operate on annual budgets smaller than a single reporter’s salary at a metropolitan outlet, yet they consistently reach deep into their communities. Studies show that local radio remains one of the most trusted media sources in rural America. ⁴ In Tribal communities, that trust is amplified by cultural knowledge, language, and long-term presence.

For the public and philanthropy, this presents a clear opportunity.

Tribal media is a high-impact investment. Supporting these stations strengthens democracy, advances public safety, preserves language and culture, and improves civic outcomes—all through institutions that already exist and are deeply rooted in community life. Unlike short-term pilot projects, Tribal stations deliver sustained, measurable benefits year after year.

Calling Tribal stations “media outlets” understates their value. They are public safety partners. They are civic educators. They are cultural anchors. They remain when markets retreat and crises arrive.

If we seek durable solutions to news deserts and democratic decline, the path forward is visible.

Invest in the water centers.

Support Tribal stations, and the flow of information returns. Restore that flow, and civic life strengthens. Where Tribal stations exist, news exists. And where news exists, communities are more informed, more resilient, and better equipped to shape their futures.

Sources

1. Abernathy, Penelope Muse. “The Expanding News Desert.” Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media, University of North Carolina, 2020.

2. Shaker, Lee, and Rodney Benson. “Why Local News Matters.” Democracy Fund & Tow Center for Digital Journalism, Columbia University, 2019.

3. Gao, Pengjie, et al. “The Effects of Local Newspaper Closures on Public Finance.” Journal of Financial Economics, 2020.

4. Pew Research Center. “Local News in a Digital Age.” 2019.