Local journalism took another punch to the gut this month. I was just sick to read about the layoffs at the Idaho Statesman newspaper out of Boise. Half the journalists will be let go by Oct.11. According to the Idaho Press, McClatchy Media sent out a press release saying 10 positions will be eliminated, including two breaking news reporters, two investigative reporters and two suburb reporters.

The chair of the Idaho Newsguild said: “It’s a bloodbath. They are decimating this paper.”

As for the reason behind the layoffs, McClatchy is quoted in the Idaho Press as saying it was “reshaping its newsrooms structure to more closely align resources with the changing subscriber interests and focusing resources on journalism that subscribers value.”

Any idea what the hell that means?

Katie Robertson, a New York Times journalist, said the memo explicitly cited a 41% decline in consumer revenue across newsrooms alongside flat expenses as reasoning behind this decision.

We’ve seen cuts in Eastern Idaho too. It means less competition, fewer stories, an inability to cover the numerous government meetings that allowed good journalists to ask tough questions about budgets and where taxpayer money is being spent. I’ve seen the change in local television news. Remember when KIFI took over KIDK?

The salaries in local TV news are deplorable. Half the fun was scooping the competition across the street, and sharing a beer that night with that competition to claim bragging rights.

What’s happening with important local news coverage should frighten everyone. Who is watching out for us?

I called a couple good friends to talk about this. My co-anchor at Local News 8:

“Reporting local news was my entire career, so it’s sad to hear about cutbacks. Over the years I’ve seen local newspapers coming out with fewer pages, local TV stations merging news departments to survive, and less or no local news on radio compared to the old days. I just wish people would see the value of getting their information from reliable, professional and ethical local journalists,” Jay Hildebrandt said.

Brenda Stanley, who started at Local News 8, then moved to KPVI Ch 6, agrees.

“It’s hard to watch newsrooms get smaller when the need for good, local reporting has never been greater. When trained journalists disappear, we’re left with more people hiding behind the internet, presenting their personal opinions and agendas as news instead of researching, verifying facts and staying objective. That’s dangerous. Journalism isn’t about making your stance sound like the story — it’s about giving people the facts and letting them form their own opinions. Losing local journalism is a loss not just for the profession, but for Idaho communities.”

You are literally watching the dismantling of the fourth estate. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, here’s how AI explains it:

"The Fourth Estate is a term for the news media and journalism, referring to their important role in holding powerful institutions accountable.

“The press came to be called the Fourth Estate because journalism developed into an additional societal force — one that can inform the public, investigate wrongdoing, scrutinize government, and influence public opinion.

“For example, investigative journalists exposing government corruption are exercising the Fourth Estate's watchdog role."

I wish I had the perfect answer to halt this trend. Sadly, I do not.