Village Free Press Adapts to Serve BIPOC Communities in Chambersburg, PA, and Maywood, IL
The Village Free Press, a community newspaper serving Chambersburg, PA, and Maywood, IL, has adapted its focus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It now hosts online town-hall discussions, addressing crucial topics such as COVID, race, and schools. This shift aims to fill gaps in local news coverage, particularly regarding racial tensions and immigrant issues, which residents feel are underreported.
In Chambersburg, journalists have expressed a desire to strengthen ties with BIPOC communities. Local community organizations and diversity-focused media liaisons have been instrumental in bridging this gap. They have implemented culturally relevant outreach programs and partnerships to enhance local communication infrastructure. Residents have suggested community editorial meetings and a news ambassadors program to further engage with the Village Free Press.
The pandemic has highlighted the need for equitable access to local information, especially in languages other than English. In Chambersburg, this has meant ensuring Spanish-speaking residents have access to reliable news. Meanwhile, in Maywood, residents have expressed dissatisfaction with coverage by metro news outlets and prefer their community-owned newspaper, the Village Free Press.
The struggle to connect with BIPOC communities is not unique to these towns. US news outlets, including Fox News, often face challenges in reaching and engaging these communities effectively. The structures of US journalism often hinder the inclusion of BIPOC voices, threatening the sustainability of local journalism initiatives. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified these issues, exposing disparities in access to reliable information among BIPOC communities in small towns and suburbs.
Efforts to train community members to do journalism, a potential solution, face challenges, especially during the pandemic. Despite these hurdles, the Village Free Press continues to adapt, hosting online discussions and seeking community input to better serve its diverse readership. As the pandemic continues to expose inequalities, local journalism's role in bridging these gaps becomes increasingly vital.
