New Mexico map reveals local news deserts, risks for San Juan County
A University of New Mexico report released in mid November mapped local news coverage deserts across the state, showing large geographic gaps that include parts of the northeast and many rural and tribal communities. For San Juan County the findings underscore risks to civic oversight, emergency communication, and economic opportunity as most outlets cluster in four metro areas and many small publishers lack staff or digital capacity.
On November 14, 2025, researchers at the University of New Mexico published a report and interactive map, first launched online on November 8, that documents where local news is missing across the state. The project surveyed 1,146 New Mexicans and cataloged 139 media outlets, finding stark geographic disparities in coverage. Nearly half of the state s news outlets are concentrated in four metropolitan areas Albuquerque Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Las Cruces and Farmington, leaving large swaths of rural and tribal New Mexico with limited or no local reporting.
The map highlights that northeast New Mexico faces particularly sparse coverage, but the implications extend across the Four Corners region. San Juan County, which is tied economically and socially to the Farmington media market and contains significant Spanish and Diné speaking populations, may still experience information gaps because most outlets publish primarily in English. The language mismatch compounds access problems for residents who rely on Spanish or Diné for news and emergency alerts.
The report also documents capacity constraints among smaller outlets. Many lack the staff, technical resources, or digital infrastructure to expand their online presence and reach dispersed audiences. From an economic perspective these weaknesses feed a cycle of shrinking advertising markets, lower subscription revenue, and reduced incentives for reporters to cover time consuming beats such as local government, courts, schools and public health. The result is less scrutiny of local institutions and weaker flow of information that residents and small businesses depend on for decision making.
For San Juan County the practical consequences are immediate. Local reporting scarcity can slow dissemination of emergency information during wildfires floods or water issues, hinder community debate about development and resource management, and reduce visibility for local tourism and small business promotions. It can also make it harder for county officials and tribal governments to engage residents in policy choices or to gather timely feedback on services.
The UNM initiative is designed as a tool for journalists, funders and communities to identify gaps and target investments in reporting capacity. Strengthening local news in rural areas will likely require a mix of philanthropic grants, public policy supports for news infrastructure, investments in broadband and digital training, and collaborative models that pool resources across nearby communities. The Tri City Record noted the project s relevance for rural counties in the Four Corners region and for stakeholders seeking to sustain local information ecosystems.
Long term, the report points to an uneven media market shaping civic and economic outcomes across New Mexico. For residents of San Juan County the map offers both a warning and a roadmap, showing where targeted support could restore reporting that underpins local accountability, emergency preparedness and economic resilience.
