Rescuing Democracy: PREMIUM TIMES Publisher calls for urgent revitalisation of local media

Rescuing Democracy: PREMIUM TIMES Publisher calls for urgent revitalisation of local media

Mr Olorunyomi noted the challenges, ranging from shrinking funding, digital disruption, lack of resources, declining trust, intimidation, media capture, and legal vulnerabilities confronting local media, and proffered solutions.

by Qosim Suleiman

The Publisher of PREMIUM TIMES, Dapo Olorunyomi, has called for renewed focus and strategic support for local media, warning that the sustainability of Nigeria’s democracy depends on strengthening community-based journalism.

Delivering a public lecture at the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State, on Thursday, Mr Olorunyomi, who doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), described the country’s local media as indispensable to a democratic culture.

He noted that local media in Nigeria have expanded with Nigeria’s return to democracy since 1999, with dozens of community radio stations across the country providing programming in indigenous languages, covering local elections, and enabling citizens to debate local governance issues.

He, however, warned that the local media organisations, which have been instrumental to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy, are struggling from a convergence of economic decline, digital disruption, political intimidation, and public apathy.

“A combination of economic, technological, political, and institutional challenges has created a hostile environment for local journalism, threatening its viability and eroding its ability to inform, engage, and hold power accountable,” he said.

“(Local media) is facing existential threats that require urgent, collective solutions. Without deliberate interventions — from citizens, policymakers, donors, and the media sector itself — local journalism risks becoming hollowed out, leaving communities in darkness and democracy diminished.”

How local media can strengthen democracy

The publisher of Nigeria’s foremost investigative newspaper said a thriving democracy depends on a well-informed and engaged citizenry, adding that local media are essential to achieving that.

He explained that local media contributes to democracy by keeping citizens informed, setting public agenda, gatekeeping vital information, enabling civic engagement, ensuring accountability and giving a voice to marginalised communities and individuals.

“We cannot — and must not — let local journalism wither,” he said. “The survival of local media is essential for a vibrant, participatory democracy.”

Challenges facing local media

According to Mr Olorunyomi, the challenges facing local media include economic crises, censorship, press attacks, dominance by big tech companies, technological shifts, and disruption in audience habits.

He said advertising revenues, which used to be the major stream of revenue for media platforms, have plummeted mainly due to the rise of digital advertising dominated by global tech platforms.

He explained that many radio and television stations struggle to meet operating costs, leading to layoffs, salary cuts and even closures, leading to a phenomenon now globally known as news deserts – areas where no local newspaper is available.

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He said: “In the United States, over 2,500 local newspapers have closed since 2005 (UNC Hussman School of Journalism & Media, 2020). In Nigeria, the number of viable local newspapers has declined significantly since the 1990s, and many of those that remain operate with skeleton staff and minimal investigative capacity.”

Mr Olorunyomi also noted the declining trust in journalism, which has not spared local media.

“Partisan divides, perceived bias, and the proliferation of misinformation have tarnished the credibility of many outlets,” he said.

Citing data from CJID’s Press Attack Tracker, which documents attacks on journalists, he emphasised how local journalists often operate under intense political pressure, due to their proximity to the communities they cover

“They are especially vulnerable to intimidation, harassment, and even violence from local authorities and power brokers,” he said.

According to data from the Press Attack Tracker of the CJID, there have been 1,237 verified cases of violations against the press between 1986 and 2025.

The data revealed that 179 journalists suffered physical attacks, unlawful arrests and other violations in Nigeria during the first five years of the country’s Fourth Republic (2000–2006), a period when violations ought to have been receding.

“The past five years (2019–2024) have been the most scandalous,” Mr Olorunyomi added.

“In 2023 alone, CJID’s Press Attack tracker recorded dozens of assaults on journalists in states like Kogi, Osun, and Bayelsa, including cases of arbitrary detention, destruction of equipment, and even physical violence — clear evidence of the hostile environment in which local media operate.”

He added that the legal environment in which Nigerian local media operates is also fraught with risk.

While the 1999 constitution guarantees press freedom, journalists still face arbitrary application of laws such as the Cybercrime Act and criminal defamation statutes, which have been used to silence critical voices.

“Local journalists, who often lack access to legal counsel or advocacy networks, are particularly vulnerable to these legal threats,” he said.

Mr Olorunyomi explained that the challenges, ranging from shrinking funding, digital disruption, lack of resources, declining trust, intimidation, media capture, and legal vulnerabilities, have both weakened local media and eroded the democratic fabric they support.

“If local media cannot inform citizens, set the agenda, hold power to account, or represent marginalised voices, citizens become less informed, power becomes less accountable, and democracy itself becomes less responsive to the needs of its citizens,” he said.

Way forward for Local Media Sustainability

For Mr Olorunyomi, the way to solve the challenges would be a total transformation of news coverage, distribution and journalism financing.

He recommended community support models where the communities invest in local media through subscriptions, donations, cooperative ownership or crowdfunding campaigns.

“This model not only generates revenue but also strengthens the bond between the media and its audience, fostering accountability on both sides,” he said.

To survive and thrive in a digital-first world, Mr Olorunyomi recommends that media platforms develop mobile-friendly websites, create podcasts, utilise WhatsApp newsletters, as well as use social media strategically to reach and engage broader audiences.

By licensing their archives to the development of generative Artificial Intelligence, local media platforms can ensure that their content is protected and monetised when large language models (LLMs) are trained on their work.

“For example, some publishers globally are negotiating licensing deals with companies like OpenAI and Google to allow for the ethical and compensated use of their content in AI systems,” he said.

“Nigerian local media can prepare for this by digitising their archives, asserting their copyrights, and organising as a collective to negotiate licensing agreements. Additionally, AI-driven tools can help local journalists enhance productivity — assisting with transcription, data analysis, and content generation — if adopted thoughtfully and effectively.”

He also noted that certain policy interventions like lowering the financial and bureaucratic barriers to entry for independent community radio stations, tax incentives, subsidies and grants can ensure both diversity and sustainability of local news platforms.

Mr Olorunyomi also recommended collaborations with national platforms and civic-tech organisations to publish joint investigations.

He also suggested a partnership with universities’ journalism departments in a way that benefits the students, the university and the media organisations.

He said international networks, such as the Collaborative Journalism Network in the United States and the African Investigative Journalism Conference in South Africa, already foster such partnerships and could serve as models.

“A university journalism department could assist a local newspaper in conducting a data-driven investigation, offering students hands-on experience while bolstering local coverage,” he said.

Local media in colonial, military era

Tracing the history of local media in Nigeria, Mr Olorunyomi noted they have been a vital part of the country’s colonial and democratic struggle and public debate.

According to him, local newspapers such as The Lagos Weekly Record (founded in 1891), the West African Pilot (founded in 1937), and the Daily Times (1926) amplified calls for independence and became platforms for anti-colonial nationalism before Nigeria’s independence from Britain in 1960.

He also noted how the newspapers and others that emerged later championed democratic causes during the decades of military dictatorship between 1966 and 1999.

“These papers provided information about colonial abuses, published opinions calling for self-determination, and mobilised ordinary Nigerians into an informed and engaged public — a classic example of Deweyan associative life and Habermasian public sphere,” he said.

“At the time, local papers also gave voice to different ethnic and regional perspectives. In Ibadan and Kaduna, smaller presses published in Yoruba and Hausa, helping local communities articulate their concerns about colonial governance.”

Mr Olorunyomi said the decline of local media threatens the very fabric of Nigerian democracy, which relies on vibrant civic dialogue, community engagement, and grassroots accountability.