The Putnam County Public Library District’s Granville Branch invites the public to attend a free screening of “News Matters" at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 17.

The deadly siege at the U.S. Capitol in 2021 exposed the consequences of widespread anger and baseless conspiracy theories. At the same time, the disappearance of more than 2,000 newspapers nationwide has revealed a direct link between the decline of trusted local news and the rise of dangerous misinformation. As reliable sources vanish, many communities are left without accurate, independent reporting, deepening a national misinformation crisis.

“News Matters” explores this cause-and-effect relationship by examining the erosion of America’s newspaper industry and its implications for democratic institutions. The film follows the high-profile effort to save The Denver Post, highlighting the broader struggle to preserve local journalism at a time when its role in American democracy is increasingly at risk.

The film is 1 hour and 24 minutes, not rated, and available through Kanopy. This program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Granville Branch of the Putnam County Public Library District at 815-339-2038 or visit the library at 214 S. McCoy St., Granville.