Local news coverage has been in decline for years, but there is a recent groundswell of media outlets trying to buck that trend. From innovative formats, including news-you-can-use services on WhatsApp, to devoting coverage to communities historically neglected by legacy news, new organizations are rethinking what local news can and should be. To dissect what these news trends mean and how they’ve manifested in the Southwest, ProPublica has gathered an accomplished set of Arizona-based reporters and editors for a live virtual conversation.

Our speakers include:

• Maria Polletta, staff reporter, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
• P. Kim Bui, director of product and audience innovation, Arizona Republic
• Maritza L. Félix, independent journalist and founder of Conecta Arizona
• Amy Silverman, independent journalist and contributing editor for Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
• Michael Squires, ProPublica’s Southwest editor (moderator)

This event is the second in a series of conversations about local news and its role in civic life. The third event will examine why local news startups have flourished in Detroit in recent years.

This event has ended.