During the most recent Amos Fortune Forum lecture at the Jaffrey Meetinghouse, Monadnock Ledger-Transcript Publisher Heather McKernan spoke on “The Future of Local News,” addressing how the landscape of journalism has changed and the importance of local publications.
“I can say with confidence that it has never been more important, or more challenging, to produce quality local news,” McKernan told the crowd.
McKernan has been the publisher of the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript since 1995 and started her career in newspapers in 1989, working for the Concord Monitor, the Ledger-Transcript’s sister paper, as a human resources manager, controller and publisher.
The Monadnock Ledger-Transcript’s parent company, Newspapers of New England, remains family-owned and operated, something that is increasingly rare.
In fact, newspapers in general are increasingly rare, McKernan said, with one in three publications closing in the 20 years between 2004 and 2024, reducing from 9,000 to 6,000 publications. This has led to some communities experiencing “news deserts” with no source of local news.
That’s significant because not only does research show a direct relationship between quality local news and community well-being, but local news also provides government accountability, with research also showing that places that lose local news coverage see a corresponding increase in government costs.
And for many communities, their local paper is the only way to get that coverage.
“CNN will never cover these stories. The Boston Globe is not going to cover these stories,” McKernan said of the kind of coverage the Ledger-Transcript provides every day.
McKernan spoke about the current pressure facing the news industry, including the recent attempt by the Justice Department to subpoena New York Times journalists related to an article about security issues involving President Donald Trump’s new Air Force One jet. The department has since withdrawn the subpoenas.
McKernan said that kind of government scrutiny is exactly the kind of reporting protected under the First Amendment, and that the Justice Department’s attempt to subpoena journalists was concerning.
She also spoke about the rise of artificial intelligence. While the Ledger-Transcript does use AI for some tasks, McKernan said newspapers have to balance how to use it responsibly, and that it can never replace human judgment and reporting.
“Journalism still depends on people asking questions,” McKernan said.
The funding model for the Ledger-Transcript has shifted over the years, McKernan said. Currently, about 40% of the Ledger-Transcript’s revenue is from digital advertising and subscriptions. She said that in recent years, newer models such as sponsorships and philanthropic support have become increasingly important pieces.
In the past few years, the Ledger-Transcript has added statehouse reporting through a reporter shared with the Concord Monitor, partially paid for by a grant from Report for America and partially raised through donations.
Some regular pieces, such as the monthly Hometown Heroes segment, highlighting a community member who makes a difference, or past Solutions Journalism projects, have been supported by business sponsorships. These sponsors do not have a say in the editorial content of the pieces written but can show support for stories that may align with their values.
McKernan said these more creative ways of raising revenue become increasingly important if the community wants local news to continue.
McKernan ended her speech with an urging for people to become involved in their community, to vote, and to subscribe to their local paper.
Friday’s Amos Fortune Forum lecture will feature Keene’s former assistant director of public works and solid waste division manager, Duncan Watson, speaking on “Everyone’s Trash: Where We’ve Been, Where We Are, Where We Could Go.” All Amos Fortune Forum lectures are held Fridays at 7 p.m. at the Jaffrey Meetinghouse and are free and open to the public.