By Mi-Ai Parrish

The recent announcement of the successful $1 billion debt restructuring by media giant Gannett should be welcomed news by local businesses and all Arizonans, even nationwide.

The company publishes more than 250 newspapers across the country including USA Today and our hometown paper, The Arizona Republic and its online platform AZCentral.com, where I served as publisher and CEO.

Newspapers across the country are under intense financial pressure as consumers continue to shift away from print and network television in favor of online, social and cable-provided sources that may not be entirely accurate or adhere to journalistic standards that Gannett properties do.

Newspapers exposed the literally thousands of lies the former president circulated the past few years. Exposed his nonsense more than any series of TV segments ever could.

Newspapers hold the powerful accountable. It's what Gannett properties like The Republic do.

We especially saw how dangerous falsehoods and misinformation can be during the past year, with lies regarding COVID-19 that have senselessly claimed nearly 500,000 Americans, including more than 13,000 in Arizona. Recent false narratives also culminated with the U.S. Capitol mob riot that killed and injured more and nearly toppled our democracy.

Falsities and misinformation are the scourge of our time; death, disease and uncertainty its byproduct.

Which is why we should breathe a sigh of relief, if not celebrate, Gannett's debt restructuring that will save the company tens of millions of dollars in interest, which can be poured back into operations and newsgathering. The company can survive to fight another day and be the watchdog that we need them to be. To fight for truth. To fight for the First Amendment. That's something we can all support.

If The Republic doesn't expose Sheriff Joe Arpaio's racial profiling strategy, State Representative Don Shooter's history of sexual harassment, or Arizona's track record of grossly underpaying its teachers, who will?

ABOUT MI-AI PARRISH
Mi-Ai Parrish is President and CEO of MAP Strategies Group, Professor of Practice at Arizona State University and Managing Director of the university's media properties and strategic partnerships, including Arizona PBS, Zocalo Public Square, Issues in Science and Technology, and more.

Ms. Parrish is an award-winning media expert, previously serving as president and publisher of USA TODAY NETWORK Arizona, The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com; president and publisher of the Kansas City Star and Idaho Statesman; and in other positions at the Chicago Sun-Times, San Francisco Chronicle, (Minneapolis) Star-Tribune and Virginian-Pilot.