Local News

Oregon’s Mail Tribune on cutbacks, engagement, and ‘the horseback hero’

CJR is on the road this summer, visiting small newsrooms across America and meeting the hometown journalists who put together local news. In a series of short videos, we’ll introduce you to a handful of these papers and get a peek at the perspectives of their editors and reporters. Posted each week through September.

The Mail Tribune in Medford, Oregon is experiencing a lot of change. In the past few years, they’ve had to pull back on coverage due to cutbacks and adjust to new ownership. It has moved from News Corp to a hedge fund and is now back in local hands. Like many newsrooms across the country, its staff is figuring out how to adapt to the 24/7 news environment. A redesigned print edition, video, and podcasts are all part of its plan moving forward. “We are going to transform this company so you get the news however you want it,” says Editor Cathy Noah.

Watch below:

This video is part of CJR’s Summer Road Trip. Learn more about the series and follow along here.

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Darrel Frost is a designer and writer living in New York City. He tweets and 'grams at @darrelfrost.