• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, September 3, 2024

Much gloom has been spread about the future of local journalism. But it it is not as bad as it looks, judging by a new study from Poynter: “OnPoynt—Values Rising: Trends and traction in journalism and the news industry,” 

On the contrary, 83% of consumers say local news outlets are important to the well-being of their community. Moreover, 71% say local journalists report news accurately. 

Pew research shows that 69% feel local journalists are in touch with the community, up from 63% in 2018.  And this is a bi-partisan view—74% of Democrats feel that way, versus 67% in 2018. Among Republicans, 66% agree, compared to 61% in 2018. 

The study acknowledges, “Distrust of media tends to refer to the polarized environment of the national discourse. Large segments of communities do trust their local news media.” But many do. 

What is driving this improvement in perception? To some extent, customized content. 

“Embracing the realities of audience fragmentation allows for better, specific service,” the report states. “It’s more effective to serve several smaller loyal audiences than trying to win over a general public with one-size-fits-all content."

Meanwhile, Gen Z news consumers are going to TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube for news. “They rely on news personalities, rather than media companies,” the study says. 

If you believe these glad tidings, here are some of the stratagems that work for publishers: 

• Better explanation of complex stories—60%
• Solutions/constructive journalism—44%
• More inspiring human stories—43% 
• Simpler language/accessible formats—35% 
• Diverse presenting reporting team—35% 
• More positive news—21% 
• More fun or entertaining news—18%