News content produced by media and news organizations is a treasure trove of cultural, political, and social history, but it’s at risk. Much of this content is now published in digital-only formats with no long-term preservation solution in place. Losing access to this material means the erasure of critical historical records, depriving future researchers, historians, and the public of valuable insights. It requires active preservation to protect against loss.

To ensure the security and accessibility of this material, Portico—along with the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri and the Columbia Missourian—has launched a pilot project to explore the preservation of local news content that may be at risk of disappearing due to economic pressures facing the industry. The goal of this project is to understand the technical, legal, and financial issues that need to be resolved to preserve valuable news content for the very long term.

We look forward to sharing our findings and work to address this pressing issue as our pilot develops.

For more about the risk and importance of preserving digital news and steps news organizations can take, read Preservation is paramount: What news websites can do to ensure their legacy when the lights go out.