An invitation: Help us find out what conservatives really think about local news (not “the media”)
Hi there. Joy here.
I have an update for you today about a project we're invested in: reaching news consumers across the political spectrum.
We know there’s a partisan divide related to trust in news: people who lean right are much less likely to trust what journalists produce. You probably don’t need polling data to tell you that. A spin through comment sections and reporter inboxes can provide plenty of evidence.
Yet in service of democracy, a shared set of facts and healthy conversations (plus our financial sustainability), isn’t it vital that journalists be seen as credible storytellers, documenters and truth tellers across our polarized communities?
As we first told you a couple of months ago, the Trusting News team is committed to learning more about this problem and helping newsrooms navigate it, and we’re starting with a listening project.
We are inviting journalists from local newsrooms to interview right-leaning individuals in their own communities about their perceptions of journalism. (Note: Even the label can be a challenge, and not one size fits all. Right-learning? Conservative? Republican? That’s one of the many things we’ll address!)
Consider:
- Would your journalism and your staff benefit from deep conversations with conservatives in your coverage area?
- Would you appreciate our team’s support to guide and set up those conversations?
- Would you be willing to share what you learn with us, so we can analyze responses across the country and share them with the industry?
If the answer is yes, let us know by completing this form. And find more details about the project in this Medium post.
As always, feel free to reach out with questions and ideas by replying to this newsletter. Thank you for being part of the Trusting News community!
Joy Mayer, director of Trusting News
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