Press release from NC Local News Workshop:
May 20, 2022 (Asheville, NC) – The decline of traditional community newspapers, the expansion of online information (and misinformation) and the lack of affordable and reliable broadband access in rural areas have led to an uneven network of news and information in many communities in North Carolina.
The NC Local News Workshop, based at Elon University’s School of Communications, has launched a new WNC News & Information Survey, in conjunction with personal interviews and small-group listening sessions, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the news and information needs of different communities in Western North Carolina.
Where do people in local communities find the news and information they need? Who do they trust? Are their community’s stories being told?
These are some of the questions the Workshop’s WNC Research and Community Listening Project is seeking to answer, looking especially at communities of color, ethnic and immigrant communities, rural residents, and others that are often underrepresented in traditional news media.
“We are eager to learn about the news and information needs of communities in Western North Carolina that have been underrepresented or underserved by established media,” said Shannan Bowen, Executive Director of the NC Local News Workshop. “We know that easy access to high quality, credible and relevant news and information strengthens local communities and promotes civic life. We’re grateful to the NC Local News Lab Fund and the Dogwood Health Trust for funding this important research.”
The WNC research project is taking a bilingual approach. Western North Carolina is home to a significant and fast-growing Latinx population, many of whom speak a language other than English at home. In order to reach this important segment, the WNC News & Information Survey is available in both English and Spanish, and some of the research project’s community listening sessions will be conducted in Spanish.
To access the WNC News and Information Survey in English, visit https://wnclocal.news/survey or text SURVEY to 855-541-2366. For Spanish, visit https://wnclocal.news/encuesta or text ENCUESTA to 855-541-2366. Anyone living in Western North Carolina is welcome and encouraged to complete the survey.
“In order to address gaps in news and information, we must first identify where they exist,” Bowen said. “Only then can we create new initiatives or develop collaborations that are sustainable for local communities. We hope this research will lay the foundation for precisely that.”
The NC Local News Workshop is actively seeking community and media partners to assist with survey outreach in high priority communities or to participate in or co-host community listening sessions.
To learn more, or to schedule interviews or small-group sessions, visit https://wnclocal.news/research or email wnclocalnews@gmail.com.
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