Boundaries, Democracy, and Well-Being: How Local News Shapes Civic Engagement and Health
Welcome back to the Better Boundaries Brief! After setting some boundaries around rest after a busy 2024, I'm excited to reconnect and dive back into important issues related to our individual and collective wellbeing. In this edition, we'll explore the profound impact of local news on democracy and civic health, emphasizing the importance of equitable narratives and community power-building.
📰 The news is too much for me right now. On one hand, I want to be informed—information is power. On the other hand, too much doom-and-gloom news is bad for our mental health.
In a way, the news violates our boundaries while reporting on boundary violations. It’s an exhausting cycle. Perhaps you can relate to this viral Thread:
I was thinking recently about the early days of COVID, when virtually every major news source had live updates, and I read them all. I was glued to my screen. It helped me to understand what was happening and how I might respond, personally and professionally. Now, I'm avoiding the news altogether (except for Heather Cox Richardson's Letters from an American). What's the difference now? We no longer have trust in institutions or the people who lead them. For many of us, that includes our employers, and as COVID changed the nature of work, our loyalty also shifted.
The Pulse of Our Communities
Take a moment to imagine a town where the local newspaper has shuttered its doors, leaving residents without a dedicated source of information about school board decisions, local elections, or community happenings. In this void, national news dominates and social media platforms fill in the cracks with mis- and dis-information. In losing the attention on the unique fabric of local life, we also lose our connection to and investment in our local communities. This scenario isn't just hypothetical - it's a reality for many communities across the nation. The decline of local journalism has far-reaching implications, affecting how we engage with our neighbors, participate in our communities, and perceive our collective identity.
One of my favorite things to do when I visit home is to read the Alamogordo Daily News. This pic is from 2021.
Data Highlights
Local news is essential to a healthy democracy!
🗳 Voting: Communities with robust local journalism experience higher voter turnout. A Gallup-Knight study revealed that 81% of individuals who closely follow local news are likely to vote, compared to only 35% who do not pay close attention to local news.
🙋🏽 Community Investment: Americans who follow local news very closely are more attached to the local community and are more confident in their knowledge of the best ways to get involved to make a difference (see the image below).
🔎 Government Accountability: The absence of local news outlets has been linked to increased government inefficiency and corruption. Without local watchdogs, there's less oversight of municipal activities, leading to decisions that may not reflect constituents' best interests. The American Journalism Project has a collection of research on the loss of local news and its impact.
🤝🏽 Community Connection: Research is clear that local news fosters a sense of community by highlighting shared interests and local stories, strengthening communal bonds and collective identity.
American Views 2020: Trust, Media and Democracy. A Gallup/Knight Foundation Survey, November 9th, 2020.
Equity & Inclusion: Who Controls the Narrative?
📰 Representation Matters
Mainstream media often overlook the stories and needs of communities of color, rural areas, and other historically marginalized groups. Reimagining local news to serve and represent these communities is essential for building a more equitable society and a strong multiracial democracy.
💬 Shifting Narratives = Shifting Power
Narratives shape reality. They reinforce who holds power and whose stories get told. Changing the dominant narrative is key to building community power and reclaiming agency. For example, when local media highlights community solutions instead of deficits, it strengthens collective action. Shifting dominant narratives - the stories we learn and share, either consciously or unconsciously, that uphold existing power dynamics - is essential to building community power.
🎓 Youth Engagement = Lifelong Civic Participation
Access to local media can bolster youth civic participation, helping young people feel informed and prepared to engage in civic activities like voting. Research also shows that youth who are engaged are more likely to stay engaged over their life span and have better long-term health, economic, and social outcomes.
Boundary Highlight: Protecting Your Mental Space
🧠 News consumption impacts your mental boundaries—it shapes how you think, feel, and see the world.
⚠️ Too much news = mental fatigue. Constant exposure, especially to sensationalized or negative stories, blurs the line between staying informed and feeling overwhelmed.
✅ Set boundaries to protect your mental well-being. Here’s how ⬇️
Focus on Local News 📰: Sometimes, focusing on local news can be less overwhelming than national or international news. Local news often has a more direct impact on your daily life and can foster a sense of community and connection.
Recognize Your Feelings 😰: It's essential to be aware of how the news is affecting you emotionally. If you find yourself feeling anxious, stressed, or mentally fatigued after consuming news, it might be a sign that you're becoming overwhelmed.
Set Boundaries 🚫: Establishing clear boundaries around your media consumption can help maintain a healthy balance. This might include setting specific times for checking the news, limiting the amount of time spent on news websites or social media, and avoiding news consumption right before bed.
Curate Your Sources 📑: Not all news sources are created equal. Curate a list of reliable and balanced news outlets that provide factual reporting without sensationalism. This can help reduce the emotional impact of the news and keep you better informed
Take Breaks ⏳: It's okay to take breaks from the news. If you find that the constant stream of information is too much, give yourself permission to step away and engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation.
Law & Policy: The News Shapes Our Options
This is a policy issue because news shapes narrative and narrative shapes our actions and our options.
📉 Undermining Journalism = Undermining Democracy
In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order that significantly defunded Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded media organizations, effectively silencing these institutions known for promoting freedom and democracy worldwide. The result? Less access to unbiased news, more government control over information.
💼 Workplace Policies on Media & Speech
Employers may establish expectations around employee behavior in codes of conduct or other personnel policies, especially with regard to social media use and public behavior while off duty. Organizations should develop clear social media policies that define acceptable employee use, including online political engagement, to mitigate risks associated with off-duty online behavior.
📢 Political Expression at Work: Rights vs. Restrictions
Employers must navigate a complex legal landscape when addressing employees' political expressions, balancing company policies with protections for political speech and labor rights. Upcoming legal cases and policy changes could impact workplace political expression in 2025 and beyond.
Take Action: Strengthen Your Boundaries & Civic Health
We can’t control the news cycle, but we can set boundaries that protect our mental well-being and strengthen our communities. Here’s how you can take action at three levels—individual, organizational, and systemic.
📢 Individual Actions → What You Can Do
Support Local News: Subscribe, donate, or follow trusted local news sources. Independent journalism needs our support!
Practice Mindful Consumption: Limit doomscrolling. Choose specific times to check the news and focus on solutions-based reporting.
Educate Yourself & Others: Boost your media literacy—learn how to spot bias, fact-check sources, and teach friends & family to do the same. Try tools like Snopes and Media Bias/Fact Check.
Align Your Choices with Your Values: Unsubscribe from news sources that don’t align with your ethics. Be intentional about where you shop, work, and invest—it all shapes the world we live in.
📱 Workplace Actions → How Employers Can Help
Partner with Local News—workplaces can amplify diverse voices by supporting local media that highlight community issues.
Encourage Civic Participation—give employees time off to vote and share trusted election information.
Develop Clear Media Policies—set workplace guidelines on social media use & political expression to balance engagement with professionalism.
Offer News Literacy Training—host sessions on how to critically assess news and recognize misinformation.
🌎 Systemic Actions → Advocate for Long-Term Change
Push for Public Funding of Local News—support policies that recognize local journalism as a public good vital to democracy.
Integrate Media Literacy in Schools—advocate for schools to teach news literacy, digital responsibility, and civic engagement.
Join the Narrative Shift—support organizations working to reshape dominant narratives and ensure underrepresented communities are heard.
Fund Community Media—if you donate to causes, consider funding independent and nonprofit newsrooms that elevate diverse perspectives.
💬 Your Turn!
What's one action you'll take this week to create a healthier relationship with the news? Got a favorite resource that helps you stay informed without burnout? Share it with the community! 💡