Managing Editor Monica Sager educated a crowd at the Swampscott Senior Center about the state of local journalism, some history and the Swampscott Tides on Wednesday, January 15.

As the seniors enjoyed lunch and some dessert, they learned about news deserts and how millions of people across the United States do not have access to local news. Sager presented facts about staffing numbers across the country and how low-income areas have been the most affected.

She said that not having local news results in less accountability, less civic engagement and a lack of community “branding.” Local news outlets help represent members of the community and help keep people informed with what is going on nearby.

“Local journalism isn’t dying, it’s being rebuilt one town at a time,” said Sager.

The number of local news deserts in the U.S. has jumped in 2025, according to a report from Northwestern University, where Sager received a master’s in journalism. Sager cited the research, noting that while more local news startups have launched, news deserts are rising in the U.S. to over 200 counties. An additional 1,524 counties only have one remaining news source.

Sager, who wrote her master’s capstone paper at Clark University on news deserts and the importance of local journalism, shared that a lack of a newspaper in communities leads to a lack of connections and transparency. Newspapers provide residents with a look at what is happening around the world and just in their own backyards, Sager said.

“The lack of a newspaper means that the residents of a town do not know what’s going on,” Sager said. “A paper is able to not only inform them but also ensure accountability and a just democracy.”

For a period of time, Swampscott was without its own newspaper, Sager explained. A group of Swampscott residents set out to try and amend that with the creation of the Swampscott Tides. Since its first publication in May, the newspaper has covered Select Board meetings, new businesses, planning developments, sports and school happenings as well as anything else Swampscott-related.

In September, the Swampscott Tides was named “Startup of the Year” at the 2025 Nonprofit News Awards by the Institute for Nonprofit News.

After her presentation, Sager responded to a range of questions and comments from the audience about the Swampscott Tides and local news.