The Cost of Local News: Paywalls, Information Inequality, and Democratic Engagement

Through the 2010s, the news media landscape shifted from an ad-supported to a subscription-based model. What are the effects of the transition?

This talk explores how local newspaper paywalls affect news consumption, online behavior, and political and economic knowledge, as well as voting and community engagement. Using the most comprehensive and up-to-date database of paywall adoption among U.S. daily newspapers, we document how—and for whom—access to local news is evolving.

The research finds that local newspapers tend to lean more to the right than other online news sources and attract an audience that is older, more likely to be white, and higher-income. After paywalls are introduced, time spent on local newspapers drops sharply, and the remaining readership becomes more concentrated among higher-income individuals. Many readers shift toward national news sites with a more left-leaning slant, as well as toward soft news and entertainment. These substitutions are associated with downstream effects, including a leftward shift in voting behavior and decreased knowledge of local economic conditions and community life.

The event is sponsored by the Program on Democracy and the Informed Public. The discussion will be introduced by David Weil, Visiting Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School; Co-Director of the Program on Democracy and the Informed Public; and Samuel F. and Rose B. Gingold Chair in Human Development and Professor of Economics, School of Social Sciences and Social Policy, Brandeis University.

Light catering will be provided.

About the Speaker

Avi Moorthy is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy at Harvard University focusing on the intersection of labor economics, political economy, and social policy. His research examines the effects of access to information and education reaching lower-resourced communities. At Harvard, Avi is an affiliate of the Stone Program on Inequality, Centre for International Development, Evidence for Policy Design, and the Harvard Environmental Economics Program. Before Harvard, Avi worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and graduated from Carleton College. Avi is originally from Toronto, Canada and is currently watching The Wire. 

About the Program

The Program on Democracy and the Informed Public advances research and policy solutions that ensure individuals can access reliable, actionable information—empowering them to protect themselves from risks, vindicate their rights and fulfill their responsibilities as citizens, workers and consumers.

Event Details

This event is open to Harvard ID holders only , and registration is appreciated.

The Ash Center encourages individuals with disabilities to participate in its events. Should you wish to inquire about accommodation, please contact our events team at info@ash.harvard.edu.

Additional questions? Email the Ash Center events team at info@ash.harvard.edu.