A new study reveals just how much residents rely on their local news sources.
The “Local News Landscape Study, Northeast Wisconsin” was conducted by the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay Center for Civic Engagement and commissioned by the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation through the Press Forward Northeast Wisconsin chapter.
Nearly half of the respondents in Brown, Kewaunee, Oconto, and Kewaunee Counties reported taking some form of civic or community action because of local news.
One local example of that is the resident outcry after the City of Manitowoc showed some ideas for the renovation of Henry Schuette Park.
Local news is also found to be more trustworthy than social media-based sources, with younger residents more likely to rate print newspapers and radio as very trustworthy, and older residents expressing greater trust in broadcast television and online newspapers.
Another key finding is that, despite being valued, residents don’t always feel adequately informed about the issues that matter most to them.
While respondents were most likely to feel very well informed about sports, they placed the greatest importance on news that affects their daily well-being, such as healthcare and public safety, as well as jobs, local businesses, and the local economy.
The full “Local News Landscape Study, Northeast Wisconsin” is available by visiting GGBCF.org.
