Colorado is booming, but its flagship paper is being hollowed out. Last week, the Denver Post laid off two dozen journalists, just the latest round of cuts demanded by its New York City-based owner. Its headcount has fallen from 250 to around 60 in the span of several years. At the same time, the city and state populations are growing rapidly, both in sheer numbers and in the educated demographic most likely to subscribe. Newspapers across the state are facing similar pressures.

The digital revolution has hit local newspapers with a punch combination. Right jab: Free online news has reduced paying subscribers. Left cross: Online advertising isn’t nearly as lucrative as print ads. And right uppercut: The bulk of online ad spending goes to Facebook and Google, which feature local news content but don’t pay for it.

According to Pew Research, national daily newspaper circulation has fallen by nearly half since the beginning of the century. Ad revenues have fallen by two-thirds. Nearly half of Americans now get their news from Facebook. The number of newsroom employees has fallen by over one-third, and some newspapers, including Colorado outlets like the Rocky Mountain News, have closed entirely.

Local newspapers are a vital tool in defending freedom. They act as an unmatched check on local power and its accompanying abuses and corruption. They also tell the local human interest stories that reflect and project our shared community spirit, reinvigorating it at a time when this is needed most.

This isn’t to say that local newspapers don’t share some blame for their dire straits. Many have been too slow to respond to the digital revolution, keeping reporters on beats also covered by hundreds of other outlets. Local newspapers probably don’t need a reporter dedicated to covering the latest palace intrigue at the White House.

endorsed Hillary Clinton for president compared to only 20 for Donald Trump. Their implicit and explicit bias in favor of more regulation, taxes, and government spending is also evident in their ostensibly objective news sections.

If local newspapers focus on their comparative advantage, local news, presented in a bias-free way, I predict they will have a resurgence.