READ Local campaign rolls into Stutsman County, urging support

The North Dakota Newspaper Association brought its READ Local campaign to Stutsman County on December 1, 2025, deploying a van wrapped in pages from North Dakota newspapers and bold messaging urging people to read local news. The visual outreach is part of a broader push to remind communities that local reporting plays a central role in keeping residents informed about public services, government decisions, and community accountability.

NDNA Executive Director Cecile Wehrman described the campaign as outreach to civic and community groups, and emphasized that while news is often available online, comprehensive local reporting requires local support. The campaign highlights how local outlets collect and publish the details that residents rely on for school board actions, county commission votes, public notices, and emergency information. For small counties like Stutsman this reporting can directly affect daily life, from road maintenance notices to public health updates.

For local newsrooms facing tight budgets and staffing pressures, the READ Local campaign aims to translate awareness into practical support. Residents can help sustain reporting by subscribing to local newspapers, placing advertising with county publications, sending tips to reporters, and attending public meetings so coverage reflects community priorities. The NDNA and the NDNA Education Foundation also provide information on financial and organizational support that can keep community reporting viable.

The timing underscores a broader trend in rural America where shrinking local news capacity can weaken civic oversight and complicate access to public services information. By calling attention to the role of local journalism the campaign seeks to shore up the information infrastructure that underpins democratic accountability and service delivery in Stutsman County.

Residents interested in learning how to support local journalism can contact the North Dakota Newspaper Association and the NDNA Education Foundation through their websites for information on subscriptions, donations, and community outreach opportunities. The READ Local rollout in Stutsman County is intended to be a reminder that community news depends on both reporters and the communities they serve.