NEWS TO SHAPE
Atlantic City’s Future
What would the story of Atlantic City be if it were told
by — and for — the people who live here?
Let’s find out.
We invite you to join NEWS VOICES: NEW JERSEY as we explore ways to engage
communities like Atlantic City in local journalism. We’re beginning a sustained
collaboration between newsrooms and residents to fold community knowledge
into the process of newsgathering.
Go to NEWSVOICES.ORG to learn more.
The Story of Atlantic City
You know the story: Casino closures. Job losses. Property disputes.
Bankruptcy. These are the things people across the country hear
about Atlantic City.
Because of its history and importance to the state economy, all kinds of media outlets — statewide, regional,
national — pay attention to Atlantic City. Yet outside outlets tend to report on complex issues without conveying
any understanding of the city itself. Stories that trickle up to a broader audience tend to be sensational,
hewing to either a rise-and-fall or rebirth narrative, with casinos, real-estate magnates and politicians cast in
the starring roles. The perspectives of people who live in Atlantic City are missing from these stories, as is a
realistic appreciation of what it will take to revitalize the community.
The news that makes national headlines isn’t the same kind of coverage local people need to tackle problems
head on and forge a brighter future. Good journalism plays a critical role in gathering facts, holding leaders
accountable and providing people with the information they need to make change. This is especially the case
when ordinary people — workers, parents, people trying to hang on to the place they call home — are up against
powerful forces.
Every Atlantic City resident has the potential to help define the news that will sustain the city. People who
have weathered job losses are experts on how to cope with hardship. People working for a better future
know best which aspects of the system are broken. When journalists listen to local residents, recognize their
insights, respond to their questions and produce coverage that helps people navigate through challenges, then
journalism becomes a vital part of strengthening the community.
Original photo by Flickr user Richard Sunderland
Atlantic City’s Local
News Landscape
Residents have a limited number of outlets to turn to for consistent local coverage.
The Press of Atlantic City provides the most comprehensive coverage of city politics, local government and local
economic issues. The paper, which has been published in some form since 1895, was sold to Berkshire Hathaway
subsidiary BH Media Group in 2013. The outlet reaches more than a third of the households in Atlantic County.
Regional newspapers provide some coverage of Atlantic City. The Philadelphia Inquirer covers the city, especially
through its Downashore blog. So does NJ.com, the online publication of NJ Advance Media. Coverage in these outlets
tends to focus on politics and the economics of casinos and development, along with crime and major planned events
like fundraisers. NJ Spotlight, an online news source that covers public policy issues across New Jersey, reports on
Atlantic City issues that impact the state as a whole.
Atlantic City lies within the Philadelphia media market and receives only periodic attention from larger broadcast
outlets, though there are some South Jersey stations that cover issues important to the wider community.
Pinky Kravitz, the WOND 1400 AM radio host often referred to as “Mr. Atlantic City,” died in 2015 at age 88
after a long career advocating for the city and the South Jersey region. His passing marked the loss of an
important voice for the city. NBC affiliate WMGM-TV 40 was the only major network affiliate located in New
Jersey. When the station went dark in 2014 following its sale to the LocusPoint Networks chain, it marked the
end of dedicated TV news coverage of Southern New Jersey. One WMGM program, Bert Lopez’s Latino Motion, a
weekly interview show that highlights issues affecting the South Jersey Latino community, survives on cable news
channel South New Jersey Today, with support from Stockton University. SNJ Today produces news and interview
programming for Comcast Channel 22 and 1240 AM radio. Public-access TV station Channel 97 temporarily went
dark after the Atlantic City school-district staffer who ran it was laid off. While it’s back on the air and broadcasts
school events, it doesn’t yet cover city council meetings.
Given the limited number of local news outlets in Atlantic City, it’s all
the more important that journalists work with community members to
produce and support quality local journalism. Outsiders shouldn’t have
the last word on life in the city.
News Sources in
Atlantic City
PRINT AND ONLINE
TELEVISION
Press of Atlantic City / pressofatlanticcity.com
WNJS-TV / Broadcast Channel 23
NJTV New Jersey Public Television
Philadelphia Inquirer / Philly.com
NJ Advance Media / NJ.com
NJ Spotlight / njspotlight.com
Patch.com / patch.com/new-jersey/oceancity
AOL digital news with hyperlocal coverage of nearby Ocean City,
with occasional coverage of Atlantic City
South New Jersey Today / Comcast Cable Channel 22
Comcast’s cable news channel, based in Millville
Cable Access / Channel 97
Broadcast by Atlantic City School District staff
Original photo by Flickr user Chris Connelly
Atlantic City Weekly BH-owned newspaper covering food,
arts and entertainment
The AC Weekly Community newspaper that focuses on the city’s
African American community
Llego El Correo De Atlantic County Monthly Spanish-language
community newspaper
Shore News Today / shorenewstoday.com
Online outlet for BH-owned collection of small community
newspapers in Atlantic and Cape May counties
NewsWorks / newsworks.org
Online outlet of WHYY, with news coverage and blogs dedicated to
South Jersey
Jersey Shore Hurricane News
facebook.com/JerseyShoreHurricaneNews
Facebook-based crowdsourced news outlet that specializes in
weather and emergency coverage of the Shore
RADIO
WOND 1400 AM News and talk station with original programming
about South Jersey; owned by Longport Media, based in Pleasantville
WPG 1450 AM / WPG Talk Radio
Fox Radio News affiliate with original programming about South
Jersey; owned by Townsquare Media, based in Northfield
WNJN 89.7 FM One of five New Jersey stations simulcasting
Philadelphia NPR affiliate WHYY
WLFR 91.7 FM / Lake Fred Radio
Stockton University’s FM student radio station, staffed by student
and community managers, based in Pomona
WAJM 88.9 FM Licensed to the Atlantic City Board of Education,
this station is operated by Atlantic City High School students
Did we miss anything? Email Mike at [email protected]
with info on any other local news outlets.
DECEMBER 2015
Atlantic City
by the Numbers
39,415 population
15,920 households
10.75 square miles
38 percent Black or African American
30 percent Hispanic or Latino
27 percent white
16 percent Asian
<1 percent Native American
43 percent speak a language other than
English at home
31 percent home-ownership rate
70 percent high school graduate or higher
$29,200 median household income
34 percent below the poverty level
Source: U.S. Census Bureau