Tennessean tried to a few years ago. Had writers in all the surrounding counties (except Wilson for some reason). Higher ups decided they wanted more money for themselves, cut the prep sports budget drastically and axed all the local guys.
The one in Sumner County had three guys there for a while, then two, then down to one. All of a sudden this thing called Main Street comes along and steals all his freelancers, takes all the ideas they have and claims them for their own.
Now, Gannett doesn't have a local guy there and folks are left with Main Street - and the writing is horrible. Sad, really, that there isn't competition to make them better.