> Local EU websites are covered by virtue of being EU websites, not because they're accessible in the EU.
None of this talks about nature of the content. None of this talks about how few EU users you have. It clearly talks about providing goods or services to EU citizens with some degree of intent[0]. If providing news to people isn't providing a service then any news site should be exempt regardless of content and userbase.
The "mere accessibility" part says it wouldn't be enough to prove your intention to provide goods or services to EU citizens. If you're a local bakery that only sells locally it's pretty clearly you're safe. The information on your website is not the service you're providing. And it would be very hard to argue you're somehow benefiting from or expecting EU visitors.
[0] and the "envisages offering" language is arguably an even lesser standard than the also mentioned "intention"
They aren't because
... the mere accessibility of the ... website in the Union ... is insufficient to ascertain such intention
Local EU websites are covered by virtue of being EU websites, not because they're accessible in the EU.
> Conversely, if this would indeed exempt them from GDPR, then are all general purpose US news sites not specifically targeting the EU exempt too?
Yes.
> if I have a social media site and 99% of my users are Americans talking about US-related stuff, am I exempt too even if I let EU citizens register and participate?
Yes, unless you're targeting EU citizens by e.g. offering interface localization in EU languages or setting growth targets for the European market in statements to your investors etc.