The decline of local newspapers has left many communities without watchdog journalism to cover city councils, school boards, and county governments. When the Denver Post lost 70% of its staff between 2012 and 2018, coverage of state politics dropped proportionally. Civic participation in local elections has declined as well, though researchers debate whether reduced coverage is a cause or merely correlated with broader disengagement trends.
It can be inferred from the text that
local journalism has no effect on civic engagement
the health of local journalism may be connected to democratic participation
the Denver Post was the only newspaper to lose staff
researchers have definitively proven that reduced coverage causes lower participation
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. Local coverage and civic participation move together.
- Context clues: Reduced coverage; reduced participation; possibly causally connected.
- Meaning: The correlation suggests a relationship, even if causation is debated.
- Verify: "Watchdog journalism" covering local government implies connection to civic life.
đź’ˇ Strategy: When two things correlate and there's theoretical reason to connect them, infer a possible relationship.
Choice A is incorrect because a correlation exists, even if causation is debated. Choice C is incorrect because the Denver Post is given as an example of a broader trend. Choice D is incorrect because researchers "debate" the causation—it's not definitive.