The News Literacy Project (NLP) and E.W. Scripps Company are hosting the fifth National News Literacy Week: January 22 to 26, 2024. The annual initiative underscores the vital role of news literacy in a democracy. It explores how we stay informed about issues and events that directly impact us and provides people of all ages with the knowledge and tools to become better informed and more civically engaged.
This year, National News Literacy Week will explore the crisis in local news coverage and efforts to keep it alive. Local news is the backbone of how we stay informed about issues and events that directly impact us, and it’s the glue that makes a town or city a real community. But in the last 20 years, more than 2,000 local newspapers have closed, leaving far too many people poorly informed.
With thousands of local, state, and federal elections in 2024, finding solutions to the local news crisis is imperative. The fifth annual National News Literacy Week focuses on the vital role of local news in keeping communities informed and connected.
The week aims to raise awareness of news literacy as an essential life skill and provide the public, educators, students, and parents with easy-to-adopt tools and tips for navigating our information landscape. The PSA campaign encourages everyone to become more discerning about the information they share online and to consider how their actions impact public trust and a sense of community.
NLP encourages everyone to join the movement to create a more news-literate nation. You can download their social media kit at NewsLiteracyWeek.org and use the hashtag #NewsLiteracyWeek all week.
Visit National News Literacy Week to see the lineup of free events showcasing industry professionals, journalism students, educators, and others tackling this crisis with workable solutions.