Assessing Washington’s local news ecosystem: journalistic infrastructure and news production capacity

The authors map 353 qualifying local news outlets across 37 of Washington's 39 counties using a database, content screening, outlet surveys, and public demographic and staffing data. Twelve counties had two or fewer qualifying outlets, and two had none.

Among 144 outlets reporting staffing data, 54% had two or fewer full-time editorial employees. Newsroom staffing and publication frequency differed by ownership type, while the budget comparison was underpowered because only 98 outlets supplied budget data.