The League of Women Voters of Washington have adopted the following position on Local News: 

Position in Brief:   The League of Women Voters of Washington believes it is the responsibility of the government to provide support for conditions under which credible local journalism can survive and thrive.

The League of Women Voters of Washington defines local news as accurate, in-depth coverage of government entities, including but not limited to, city councils, county councils, county boards of commissioners, health departments, schools, and school boards.   Read more

The Feb General Meeting was dedicated to the  Local News Study.   Here is a link to the twelve page summary.

You can read the full study, The Decline of Local News and Its Impact on Democracy   The study is also available for purchase in book form.