The Acadiana Advocate

The Advocate is Louisiana’s largest daily newspaper, serving the cities of Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lafayette with an average daily circulation of just under 100,000 and an online audience of 20 million page views per month. In 2019, the Lafayette staff was expanded, doubling in size, to reflect the company’s commitment to local journalism in South Louisiana. Our newsroom covers the parishes of Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, Iberia, Vermilion, Acadia and Evangeline.

Current Position

Location: Lafayette, Louisiana

Beat: Rural communities

Position:

Decreasing population in rural communities in south Louisiana is driving an economic decline that began in 2014. A third of businesses and households in the seven-parish region of Acadiana lack access to reliable internet. School systems are struggling under a constrained tax base. The same communities lack access to quality care and face numerous health disparities compared with urban counterparts. The rural Acadiana reporter investigates the causes underlying these challenges and explores proposed solutions.

Reporter: Stephen Marcantel