It sounds like an alarming equation: While local news outlets shutter and news deserts expand nationwide, so-called “pink slime” sites are filling the void with political propaganda disguised as legitimate news. Anna Brugmann, policy director for the nonprofit organization Rebuild Local News, cited a recent Knight Foundation poll indicating that local news sources are far more trusted than national news sources, so she said it’s not surprising that these are the templates being imitated by the pink-slime purveyors. This point speaks to Usher’s larger concern about the state of local news—and feeling that if the propaganda sites do find a way to reach readers, the legitimate local outlets might want to take note.