As the 2026 midterm elections approach, concerns are mounting over the state of local news in the United States. A new initiative is calling on readers to donate directly to local nonprofit news outlets this Labor Day weekend and continuing through the 2026 midterms. The push comes in response to commercial local TV stations increasingly focusing on national content at the expense of community-specific reporting.
In recent months, commercial broadcasters have claimed to serve their communities, but critics argue that in practice, they hype technologies like ATSC 3.0 while prioritizing national headlines that affect President Trump's approval ratings rather than issues impacting local neighborhoods. According to an op-ed by Dak Dillon, a local station spending five minutes on national headlines is no longer a service to the audience. "Viewers have the national news at 5:30, a dozen news apps, cable, social feeds, more ways to get the same information than any local newsroom can compete with," Dillon wrote. "Running a national package or reading a wire rundown isn't a service to the audience in 2026. It's dead air with a local anchor's face on it." This shift is partly attributed to the lifting of the FCC's ownership cap in 2026, which was supposed to increase local news but has instead favored national content because it is more profitable for commercial operations like Gray, Scripps, Sinclair, and Nexstar.
The consequence is a growing number of news deserts, even in major cities like San Francisco. To fill the void, nonprofit news organizations have stepped up to provide in-depth, community-focused journalism. These outlets rely on donations and subscriptions to remain independent and sustainable. By supporting them, readers can ensure reliable news and reduce political propaganda targeting mayoral, council, county executive, state legislature, congressional, and gubernatorial races this midterm season.
Several nonprofit newsrooms are highlighted in the initiative. CalMatters, a nonpartisan nonprofit covering California, is the only journalism outlet dedicated to covering the state's 39 million residents and the world's fifth-largest economy. Donations can be made at https://give.calmatters.org/campaign/564470/donate. Bay City News Foundation serves the greater San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California, targeting geographic and topical news deserts. Support it at https://localnewsmatters.org/support-our-publication/. San Francisco Public Press publishes independent public-interest journalism on under-covered topics, with donations accepted at https://sanfranciscopublicpress-bloom.kindful.com/. Mission Local focuses on high-impact reporting in San Francisco, from police reform to City Hall corruption, and accepts donations at https://mission-local.donorsupport.co/page/donate. Open Vallejo illuminates issues in a small city burdened by police violence and corruption; donate at https://openvallejo.org/donate/. Vallejo Sun covers democracy and government in Solano County, with membership options at https://www.vallejosun.com/membership/. The Central Valley Journalism Collaborative strengthens local news in the San Joaquin Valley, and donations can be made at https://cvlocaljournalism.org/supportus/.
Other organizations include the Association of Alternative Newsmedia (AAN), which supports independent local media; donate at https://altnewsfoundation.org/project-donations/. States Newsroom provides nonpartisan coverage from every state capital, with donations at https://statesnewsroom.com/donate/. The Institute for Nonprofit News supports over 500 independent news organizations; donate at https://inn.org/donate/. Civic News Company, parent of Chalkbeat, Votebeat, and Healthbeat, focuses on education, elections, and public health, accepting donations at https://civicnews.org/donate/. Lion Publishers helps independent news publishers build sustainable businesses, with donations at https://lionpublishers.com/donate/.
If news deserts can exist in San Francisco due to commercial TV's focus on national issues, the impact on suburbs and small towns across the country is even more severe. Donating to local news outlets is a way to ensure that democracy, free speech, and reliable information prevail at the local level. Sharing donations on social media is also encouraged to raise awareness and inspire others to contribute.
