Pew Research Center Study Examines Civic Engagement And Local News Media Use

Study

A PEW RESEARCH CENTER/KNIGHT FOUNDATION study of political engagement found that the civically engaged are more likely to use and value local news than the less engaged, with two factors most prominent, a strong connection to community and always voting in local elections, the presence of which indicate stronger local news habits. 

Among those highly attached to their communities, 43% say they get local news from local radio, placing fourth behind TV (63%), newspapers, and word of mouth (45% each) but ahead of social networking sites (12%), listservs or local newsletters (11%), or local blogs (7%). Among the "somewhat" attached, local radio places second as a local news source (38%)  to TV and ahead of other media; the unattached also place radio second.

Among those who say they "always vote," local radio is also the second-place local news source, at 44%, to TV (63%) and just ahead of newspapers (44%).  The same is true of those who don't always vote (with radio at 32%, behind TV's 46%).  The study looks at several subgroups of the electorate as well, with local radio usually placing second to TV as a community news source.

Read the study, with much data on the correlation of use of media and civic engagement, by clicking here.

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