We’re kicking off this week’s newsletter with some very intriguing results from a recent survey. — Allen

“The News Philadelphians Use: Analyzing the Local Media Landscape” asked more than 1,500 Philadelphians about their media habits, the issues that are important to them and how local media are (or are not) covering these issues and their communities. Their answers were then compared to actual coverage from more than 80 local news sites through the analysis of more than 60,000 news stories.

It’s not every day that people across ages, demographics and political leanings agree on something journalism-related. But the study, commissioned by The Lenfest Institute from The Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin, found that Philadelphians  across the city feel there aren’t enough local media organizations offering solutionsto problems facing their communities. The desire for more solutions-focused journalism was especially strong among women, younger Philadelphians and self-described Republicans. Research like this shows that regardless of demographic or political leaning, people are looking for practical information that offers pathways to improve their lives, and solutions journalism can better reach individuals who may feel disconnected from traditional news media.

Though the research focuses on Philadelphia, the findings also offer an approach that can be used by news organizations anywhere to evaluate the health of their media ecosystem and identify opportunities for solutions-based coverage by asking audiences six simple questions related to information needs. To learn more about the research, check out The Lenfest Institute’s summary along with a full copy of the report.