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This study explores how U.S. reporters, columnists, editors, and state newspaper associations explained to their audiences the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on journalism. Our examination of news articles and columns found an emphasis on explaining the industry's financial struggles in the 2000s, the strain of the pandemic on journalistic routines, the historical legacies of newspapers, and journalism's role in democracy. We also found that state newspaper associations served as morale boosters for member newspapers to remind them of their essential community role, provided advice on innovation, played an advocacy and lobbying role in support of newspapers. The findings of this study illustrate the discursive strategies that journalists use as they appeal to readers to keep journalism alive.
Finneman et al. (Mon,) studied this question.