Small-scale newspapers, television channels and radio stations that report on community quirks, hometown happenings, and the inner workings of municipal and county governments will be celebrated on Thursday, otherwise known as Local News Day.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis proclaimed April 9 Local News Day in Colorado.
“Local News Day is a national day of action connecting people with local, independent and trusted news sources in their own communities, and encouraging residents to learn about, engage with and support the newsrooms that serve them,” he said.
“Participation in Local News Day provides an opportunity for residents, institutions and local governments to celebrate the value of local news and information through community events, public recognitions and visible acts of support.”
Laura Frank, Colorado News Collaborative’s executive director, an organization that supports 200 small community news outlets across Colorado ‒ including The Journal and The Durango Herald ‒ said local journalism is an important part of a thriving society.
“Local news is really the backbone of how we understand ourselves and each other, how we learn what’s happening in our communities, how we make decisions in a democracy,” she said.
She said journalists are another check on government or other decision-making bodies, which is why the right to a free press is enshrined in the First Amendment.
“The founders of this country understood the importance of the public having reliable information,” Frank said. “They recognized even then that you couldn’t really have a functioning democracy without making sure that the public had the information it needed to make decisions.”
Jeff Roberts, executive of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, said journalists reveal what elected officials do with tax dollars, how they respond to certain scenarios and how they lead. That holds them accountable to the people who elected them.
He said his coalition’s work is meant to help people and journalists access and understand public records. He said the coalition is essentially another news outlet, with the added function of helping other journalists access and understand public records.
“We advocate for government transparency and press freedom,” he said. “As a former journalist, I consider open government to be my beat. I report and write about these issues on our blog.”
Proclamation by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis
Proclamation: Local News Day
State of Colorado
WHEREAS, communities depend on local news and information to keep residents informed, connected and prepared; and
WHEREAS, local news organizations provide verified, independent reporting that helps residents make everyday decisions about schools, public safety, health care, small businesses, electins and community events; and
WHEREAS, access to trusted local news and information strengthens civic participation, supports transparency and accountability in government, and fosters a culture of informed citizenship; and
WHEREAS, local journalists serve as essential members of our community – attending public meetings, covering emergencies, highlighting community achievements and telling the stories that reflect who we are; and
WHEREAS, Local News Day is a national day of action connecting people with local, independent and trusted news sources in their own communities, and encouraging residents to learn about, engage with and support the newsrooms that serve them; and
WHEREAS, participation in Local News Day provides an opportunity for residents, institutions and local governments to celebrate the value of local news and information through community events, public recognitions and visible acts of support;
THEREFORE, I, Jared Polis, governor of the State of Colorado, do hereby proclaim April 9, 2026, as
Local News Day
GIVEN under my hand and the Executive Seal of the State of Colorado, this ninth day of April, 2026.
Jared Polis,
Governor
Additionally, local journalists adhere to strict codes of conduct and ethics to ensure the information they gather and disseminate is truthful and obtained in an ethical way. Reporters then put the information they gather into context and ascertain whether what they learned is accurate, Roberts said.
Legislation like the Freedom of Information Act or the Colorado Open Records Act are an important tool journalists can use to ensure the truth is laid bare.
“Public records laws and access to open meetings and all those things are part of that process,” Roberts said. “The bottom line is, it helps keep (a) community informed about what is going on all around them.”
He said social media can spread rumors and false information quickly, making the work reporters do all that more important.
Obtaining open records, going through the reporting process and presenting that information impartially can dispel misinformation, he said, and is an especially important function of small, independent news sources.
“The public may not be getting the whole picture,” Roberts said. “Public officials may spin things one way or the other, and so access to public records is really important to find out what might really be going on, to help you get closer to the truth.”
Additionally, conveying how a news source got its information ‒ whether through an open records request, interview or written statement ‒ can further improve transparency.
“I like the whole idea of explaining to the reader how you got information,” Roberts said. “... Maybe you couldn’t get information. Maybe you had to fight for these records, or pay $800 for these records.”
Frank said there are multiple ways to support local journalism and the vital role it plays in communities.
“Support your local news outlets by sharing news that they produce with people you know, so that they know they can trust it,” she said. “Then, make sure you subscribe. Do your small part to ensure that coverage continues for the next generation.”
She said ensuring journalism remains strong will ensure people in the future have the same information made available to them so they can continue moving toward a more equitable, accountable society.
“Local News Day is a is a way to remind ourselves of that role, and step back and look at, ‘Are we ensuring that the next generation will have the benefit of a system that the people who came long before us recognized was needed?’” Frank said.
sedmondson@durangoherald.com
