October 20, 2025 – At a time when Americans are searching for connection and common ground, one institution is quietly sparking renewal: local news. Across the country, community-first newsrooms are proving that a stronger, more sustainable future for local news is not only possible—it’s already here.
Press Forward, a nationwide initiative dedicated to revitalizing local news, today announced the launch of Reimagining Local News, a new documentary series hosted by journalist and author Charles M. Blow and available at ReimaginingLocalNews.com. The series takes viewers inside the innovative models and leaders reshaping the news landscape—from nonprofit outlets in Colorado to hyperlocal startups in Chicago and Louisiana—showing that solutions to the local news crisis are within reach.
“Local news is like sidewalks, streetlights, and clean water—essential for strong communities,” said Dale Anglin, Press Forward’s executive director. “The solutions are here. Now we need the investment to spread them nationwide.”
Even after decades in the industry, Blow says this series changed how he sees the role of local news.
“Local news is where community lives. It’s the accountability story about city hall, but also the news that a grocery store is opening. It’s what helps us know each other—and that’s irreplaceable,” Blow said.
Press Forward, a network with $400 million invested in local news and 41 chapters nationwide, emphasizes that local news is more than reporting—it’s essential for keeping communities informed, engaged, and connected. Research shows that when communities have strong local news, civic participation rises, polarization declines, and trust grows. The series highlights what’s possible when communities invest in local news that serves the public good.
The series includes a 10-minute flagship documentary and five short videos featuring Blow’s commentary, exploring topics such as the importance of public policy that expands access to news and information, the rise of hyper-local startups, and how community-driven efforts are creating sustainable models for local news. The documentaries, supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Press Forward, will be screened this fall in Portland, Maine; Tucson, Arizona; and Charlotte, North Carolina, hosted by Press Forward’s local chapters.
Learn more at ReimaginingLocalNews.com.
About Charles M. Blow
Charles M. Blow is an author, journalist, and political commentator, and is the inaugural Langston Hughes Fellow at Harvard University. A longtime Op-Ed columnist at The New York Times, Blow has also served as a contributor to CNN and MSNBC and anchored PRIME with Charles Blow on the Black News Channel. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling books Fire Shut Up in My Bones and The Devil You Know, which have been adapted into an opera and a documentary, respectively.
About Press Forward
Press Forward is a national initiative launched in 2023 to strengthen local news and keep communities informed and connected. With 41 local chapters and over $400 million invested in local news, Press Forward was named a 2025 Most Innovative Nonprofit by Fast Company. The network partners with funders, civic leaders, and news leaders to ensure that communities across the U.S. have access to high-quality local reporting. Learn more at pressforward.news.