After reflecting on my classmates EOTO's presentations, the one that stood out the most was news deserts. I had heard this term before but did not know what it meant. I learned that they are communities that are limited to information that is reliable and credible either rural or urban. A lot of these areas in the country are not receiving world and local news because they do not have access.
With the rise of technology, news papers and local news stations and channels are being taken over and a lot of them are not making enough money to keep up. The simplicity of social media is easier for most than sitting down and reading a newspaper in the span of their busy days. This generation does not relax, nor sit down and read or watch the morning or night news. A lot of these news stations are unable to create a website, social media, or radio for easier access due to lack of information or not enough funding.
The other issue with news deserts regards the information that is received in the areas. The information is not usually reliable, credible, or high quality. A large issue that pertains to lack of information nationwide effects voting. People in news desert communities do not vote nor are informed enough on who and why to vote for a certain candidate. Or they only receive biased information from their small community or social media.
I learned that there are a few solutions to help relive this issue. One being finding ways to fund the news sources that do not have the budget anymore to sustain new technology or keep printing. This could be though donations or possible tax incentives from government funding. If enough people understand the hardship in these communities and lack of knowledge they are receiving, they may be more willing to donate time or money.
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