MORGANTOWN — Veteran media executive Andy Lack delivered a message of urgency and opportunity Wednesday at West Virginia University, urging students to embrace the responsibility of rebuilding local journalism.
Speaking at the Media Innovation Center on the Evansdale Campus, Lack joined a student-led Q&A discussion hosted by the College of Creative Arts and Media, alongside Associate Dean Gina Martino Dahlia. The conversation centered on the evolving media landscape and the growing gaps in local news coverage nationwide.
A former chairman of NBCNews and early-career producer for “60 Minutes,” Lack drew on decades of experience to underscore the importance of accountability reporting and community-driven storytelling.
“We need more investigative reporters. We need more transparency in the community,” Lack said. “That’s a public service.”
Throughout the discussion, Lack returned to a central theme: journalism’s foundation remains local. Whether covering elections, public health issues or civic participation, he emphasized that reporters play a direct role in informing communities and strengthening democratic engagement.
“All news is local,” he said. “That’s where the need is, and that’s where you develop the craft.”
Lack also pointed to nonprofit journalism as a growing solution to the industry’s financial challenges, highlighting his work with Mississippi Today and the Deep South Today network. His recently announced $12 million commitment to nonprofit news initiatives aims to expand investigative reporting and digital storytelling, particularly in underserved regions.
For students in attendance, the event offered a candid look at both the pressures and possibilities shaping modern journalism — from declining traditional business models to the rise of digital platforms and shifting audience habits.
The message resonated on a personal level with this 26-year-old journalist who is just beginning to establish a career in local news. Fresh off the presses and entering the field during a period of rapid change, I’ve already witnessed how quickly the landscape can shift. Starting as a visual journalist and transitioning deeper into reporting, I acknowledge that the challenges facing local newsrooms are impossible to ignore.
It’s a difficult path, but not an unfamiliar one. Local journalism has always required adaptation — finding new ways to reach audiences, experimenting with digital storytelling and continuing to report, even as resources tighten. What Lack reinforced is that the solution isn’t stepping away from the work, but doubling down on it.
If passionate young journalists continue stepping into local newsrooms, there is an opportunity to reshape the industry in a way that better serves communities. The responsibility remains the same: tell the stories that matter, hold institutions accountable and ensure people have the information they need — regardless of platform or obstacles.
In that sense, Lack’s message was less about the past and more about what comes next.
Benjamin Powell, multimedia journalist, can be reached at BPowell@DominionPost.com.
