In 2025, Colorado’s local news ecosystem is defined by resilience, ingenuity — and strain. The latest Colorado News Survey, reflecting 2024 data collected in 2025, reached 156 news outlets, an 18% increase over the prior year. These outlets span every region and medium: from small-town weeklies and public radio to ethnic media serving multilingual communities.
The data show an industry caught in what COLab calls the “Fried and Frozen Dilemma.” Many outlets are overextended, with too few staff covering too many roles (“fried”) and unable to grow or adapt because they lack the resources to make necessary changes (“frozen”). This dual condition stifles innovation, limits revenue potential and slows the adoption of strategies that could stabilize operations.
Key findings: