LOCAL NEWS UNDER PRESSURE: PARALLEL CHALLENGES IN GEORGIAN AND AMERICAN REGIONAL JOURNALISM

This article presents a comparative analysis of the contemporary challenges facing regional journalism in Georgia and the United States. Using a qualitative, literature-based methodology, it examines economic constraints, declining public trust, political interference, and the rapid evolution of digital technologies as critical issues affecting the sustainability of local news ecosystems in both countries. Despite their distinct historical, political, and media development trajectories, both Georgia and the United States demonstrate strikingly parallel vulnerabilities in the regional journalism sector. The article employs qualitative, literature-based comparative analysis. The findings underscore the urgent need for financial improvement, supportive policy frameworks, and adaptive professional practices to sustain the democratic role of regional journalism.