For the journalism students in Andrew DeVigal’s “Engaged Journalism” course at the University of Oregon, the assignment is anything but academic. They are exploring how local journalism can contribute to a broader civic infrastructure that fosters community connection, democratic participation,
News & Events
Agora-phobic?: A Conversation with Andrew DeVigal (Schmidt Show PDX, Episode 5)
The ever-insightful Andrew DeVigal, director of The Agora Journalism Center, an organization committed to reinventing journalism as a public service rooted in community and civic trust.
Pioneering Payback: The potential of the Oregon Journalism Protection Act.
Oregon’s news ecosystem has had a tough decade. In March, the Agora Journalism Center at the University of Oregon released a report revealing that, since 2022, nearly twenty local news outlets statewide had closed or merged and, “even where news
Rebuilding Oregon’s Information Ecosystem with Listening and Trust
One of our closest collaborators over the years, Andrew DeVigal, the director of the Agora Journalism Center at the University of Oregon, wrote a memorable editorial recently about his vision for a thriving, trusted media ecosystem in the state.
Doing more good: why Oregon needs to rebuild its civic information infrastructure
A bill now advancing through Oregon’s legislature has catalyzed a critical conversation about the future of journalism, an industry advocate says.
Opinion | Oregon has a rare chance to rebuild trust in local news
A new bill and a three-sector collaboration could create the civic information infrastructure Oregon needs
Malheur County is on the brink of becoming a ‘news desert’ as local papers close, change hands
Since 2022, the University of Oregon’s Agora Journalism Center has been tracking the number of local news outlets across the state. In their inaugural report, the authors wrote that Oregon’s 241 news organization weren’t evenly distributed.
Free film screening and panel discussion Thursday highlights local journalism crisis
The panelists are Regina Lawrence, association dean of the University of Oregon School of Journalism & Communication and research director of the Agora Journalism Center; Ryan Haas, Oregon Public Broadcasting managing editor for news; and Bert Etling, executive editor of
Eugene news site launches this week, aiming to remake local journalism for digital age
And yet Lookout and all local news outlets are competing for the same audiences with a constrained pool of financial resources. So DeVigal said it’s important that news outlets pool their efforts to produce outstanding local coverage. “Yes, we need
Lookout Eugene-Springfield plans to restore in-depth local news
Professor Andrew DeVigal is the director of UO’s Agora Journalism Center, which studies local journalism and its sustainability. While he acknowledged that new players like Lookout could help fill existing coverage gaps, he said there could be unintended consequences.