Survey shows readers trust local news

School is in full swing and everyone is settling into fall. The change in seasons brings out the hustle and bustle in all our  markets. This year, it also brings election season. Whether we’re mostly print, mostly digital or a combination of both, our communities will turn to us for credible and timely news and information leading to the November election.

By Bill Patterson, TPA President 2024-25

This is a time for you and your staff to shine. As newspapers have done in Texas since it was a republic, your newspaper –  and now your digital products – will be covering the races for local elected officials who are so important to our everyday lives. Take the time to invite the candidates to stop by your offices for interviews, whether you endorse editorially or not. Make sure you remain the most trusted source for this critically important information.

In January the Pew Research Center conducted a survey and report entitled “Americans’ Changing Relationship with Local News.” One of the key findings was the public perception that local news is still doing well financially. In a 2018 survey, 71% said local news was doing very well or well. In 2024, 63% said local news was doing very well or well. Maybe that’s why only 15% of those surveyed said “they had paid for local news in the last year,” according to the report.

The majority of those surveyed said local news outlets are doing their job. Consider these responses:

• 71% said their local media are “reporting news accurately.”

• 68% said local media “cover the most important stories/issues.” 

• 63% said local media “are transparent about reporting.”

• 61% gave a favorable grade to local media for “keeping a local eye on political leaders.”

Here are some statistics that show how rapidly the media consumption landscape is changing, however:

• 48% of U.S. adults said they preferred to obtain their news from digital channels. That’s an 11% increase from 2018.

• 32% said they preferred to get their local news from local television.

• 26% said news websites were their preferred source for local news.

• 23% preferred social media for local news.

• Print and radio tied at 9% as the preferred local news source.

• Interest in local news overall declined to 66% from 78% in 2017. The number of adults following local news closely was 45% – the same as the prior survey –  but fewer people overall were following local news, dropping from 33% to 22%.

The bottom line: The findings indicate that legacy media leaders who accelerate their transition to distributing more news online will be best positioned to retain or gain audience and revenue.

I encourage each of you and your staff to go all in on local coverage of the November election cycle. Experiment with how you cover the races and how you distribute your content – print, social, digital, video, audio.

We all have room to grow. Texas newspapers have a wonderful legacy to tout in our battle for local media dominance. After all, your paper has historically been THE source of local content in your community. Take pride in that. Share that pride with your readers. 

Give them the best coverage they’ve ever seen. And deliver it to them how and where they want it – whether it’s in print, social, digital, video or audio. 

Sources for this column were the Pew survey and a recent article by Bob Sillick in Editor and Publisher.