I’ve always loved Sacramento’s local journalism. I’m even more thankful today | Opinion

I’ve been thinking a lot about trust. Who we trust, where we find it and what trusted sources still hold us together.

Just recently, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced it would shut down after being defunded by Congress, and CBS announced it would be ending “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Both events reflect how fast our media landscape is shifting. But in the churn, we can’t afford to lose the strength and reliability of local news.

Local journalism is one of the last institutions Americans still trust — a 2024 Pew Research Center poll found that most Americans hold positive views of local news outlets. That trust matters. Through every flood, fire, election and ordinary Tuesday, local journalism keeps us grounded in truth and connection.

According to Pew, nearly three in four Americans said last year they had at least some trust in local news. That trust holds across party lines, with 87% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans expressing confidence (up nine points for Republicans since last year) in local news sources.

Growing up in Sacramento, local news wasn’t something we thought much about or appreciated enough. It was just there: On the TV before school and on again after; on the radio driving to soccer practice or church; in the paper — this paper — waiting on the doorstep every morning, especially Sundays.

I’ve always loved Sunday newspapers. Still do.

For my immigrant grandparents, new to Sacramento from Mexico, local anchors and reporters of Spanish and English language outlets became trusted guides. They watched to learn what was happening in their city, to understand the language and rules and to feel like a part of something bigger. For my mom, it was the morning rundown of weather and top stories that helped her start the day. It was part of our daily routine.

Every news junkie can name their local news heroes — the ones we grew up watching. The ones we still trust.

For me, those heroes include KCRA 3 newscasters Stan Atkinson and Lois Hart, news reporter Kevin Riggs and long-time Sacramento journalist Pamela Wu.

I remember Mark Finan walking through 1997 flood zones on live TV, showing the pockets at risk in Rio Linda when Dry Creek overflowed. I remember KCRA 3 anchors Dave Walker and Alicia Malaby telling us where to go, what to do and reminding us we weren’t alone during the floods that year. We all loved watching Tina Macuha on Good Day Sacramento, and former ABC 10 anchors Cristina Mendonsa and Bryan May are local celebrities who also feel like neighbors.

There was Paul Robins and Phil Cowan on Y92, making traffic jams bearable. Mark S. Allen and the Morning Zoo crew made you smile. Tom Sullivan on KFBK’s business talk made you care about economic trends.

Meanwhile, in print media, The Sacramento Bee has always been at the center of what matters in this city. Notable alumni include Ginger Rutland, Kings columnist Marty McNeal and editorial cartoonist Rex Babin.

Local news figures shape how we see our neighbors, our region and ourselves. The aren’t just news people. They are Sacramento people.

The best local journalism can hold powerful people accountable, or help connect people and build empathy. Even stories promoting the launch of a new small business or the David and Goliath sagas that play out on hometown football fields and basketball courts help create understanding, offer representation and build a sense of belonging to help people make sense of the world around them.

This isn’t about what we’ve lost — it’s about what’s still here. Local news still informs, investigates and tells stories that would otherwise be missed. It still builds trust at a time when that feels rare. We have a lot to be worried about right now, but we cannot lose sight of what works and what is still so important.

I love Instagram stories, viral headlines, and getting instant information from an app just as much as anyone else. But they don’t replace the texture and soul of local reporting. They don’t sit with you like a good Sunday front page.

So, this is a thank you to the reporters, anchors, editors, photographers, producers, engineers, columnists, fact checkers, early morning DJs and late-night writers. Thank you for keeping Sacramento informed, connected and seen. And thank you to everyone who came before and everyone still doing the work today.

To my fellow news consumers: support your local newsroom. Subscribe. Donate. Read, listen and watch.

We may not always like the truth we read, but Sacramento wouldn’t be the city it is without local journalism.

A Sacramentan currently based in D.C., Justin Ángel Knighten is the former associate administrator for external affairs at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a Spring 2025 Pritzker Fellow at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics.