Society of Professional Journalists | Virginia Pro Chapter

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Launching a Community Conversation on Press and the People

Across Virginia, local newsrooms are fighting to keep communities informed. A new statewide study from the University of Virginia’s Karsh Institute of Democracy found that 63% of Virginia news outlets have five or fewer full-time staff, nearly 50% say they urgently need more reporters and 79% cite limited resources as the primary barrier to serving their communities. In the past decade alone, at least 22 Virginia newspapers have merged or closed and many more still have shrunk to mere shells of their former selves, weakening the civic fabric of towns and cities across the Commonwealth.

And yet, the demand for trustworthy information has never been stronger according to the report: 78% of Virginia outlets report growing audiences, and Americans consistently say they trust local news far more than national media.

This moment requires connection, conversation and clarity about what’s at stake.

That’s why the Virginia Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Karsh Institute of Democracy are partnering on a series of fireside chats titled The Union We Keep: A Community Conversation on Press and the People. The events will take place across Virginia in spring 2026 in advance of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence. These events will bring national journalists, local reporters, civic leaders, funders and residents into the same room to talk honestly about the future of trustworthy local news and the essential role a free press plays in our democracy.

To bring this work to communities across the Commonwealth, we are raising $15,000. The Karsh Institute has already committed to covering the costs of staff time, research integration, planning and program resources — ensuring that every donated dollar goes directly to making these public conversations possible. Here’s how you can help.

Your support helps us:

  • Bring respected national journalists to underserved regions
  • Host open, community-driven conversations that rebuild trust
  • Share research on Virginia’s rapidly changing news landscape
  • Strengthen connections among reporters, citizens and civic leaders, and funders
  • Support the broader movement to revitalize local journalism in Virginia

We know that you believe in the importance of an independent press and the role it plays in informing our communities. We hope that you will support our efforts. Together, we can help ensure Virginians in every region have access to trusted information and a strong and trusted local press.

With gratitude,

SPJVA Pro Chapter
UVA’s Karsh Institute of Democracy

Join the Club

Membership in SPJ is open to all media professionals who uphold the society’s Code of Ethics.

The Virginia Pro Chapter carries out SPJ’s mission on the state level. We hold events for journalists and the general public, honor people who have made outstanding contributions to Virginia journalism, provide financial support for college journalists and speak out in support of free speech, freedom of the press and the First Amendment. Our members include print, broadcast and online journalists across Virginia.

Here’s how to join our organization. (Until Dec. 31, 2025, you can get a discount on your national dues, too.)

Latest news from SPJVA

Hampton student wins summer journalism fellowship

Zoe Duncan, a rising junior at Hampton University’s Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications, has been awarded the Virginia SPJ,SDX Educational Foundation’s fellowship to support her internship with a news organization this summer.

SPJ Virginia Pro's avatar by SPJ Virginia Pro