NH's Local News Landscape Shrinks as Papers Close Across State

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire's robust tradition of local journalism is under siege, with at least a dozen newspapers shuttering since 2011, according to directories from Wikipedia and Stay Work Play NH. The Citizen in Laconia ceased operations in 2016 after 90 years, while The News and Sentinel in Colebrook published its final edition in 2024. The Nashua Broadcaster folded in 2011, depriving the second-largest city of a key voice. These losses exacerbate a national trend but hit New Hampshire hard, where weekly papers like the Carroll County Independent in Ossipee and The Colebrook Chronicle remain the primary news lifeline for rural towns.

Surviving dailies, including the Concord Monitor, New Hampshire Union Leader in Manchester, and Portsmouth Herald, cover major beats but often overlook hyperlocal stories. The Keene Sentinel and Foster's Daily Democrat in Dover persist, alongside weeklies such as The Granite State News in Wolfeboro and The Hippo in Manchester. NH Public Radio and WMUR-TV in Manchester provide broadcast alternatives, but print's depth is irreplaceable for covering events like the Goffstown News' reports on local selectboard meetings or the Laconia Daily Sun's Lakes Region focus.

Residents in places like Derry, served by the Derry News, and Lebanon, with the Valley News, express alarm over 'news deserts' mirroring national declines. The New Hampshire Bulletin offers statewide digital reporting, but community advocates worry about uninformed voters ahead of 2026 elections. As of May 2026, no major reopenings are reported, prompting calls from journalism groups like InDepthNH.org for state support to preserve these outlets.