The importance of local news

Working with the media is a powerful tool for anyone who wants to share their expertise with the world. Whether you want to discuss trending topics, elevate research, or highlight University projects, your first step should be to identify the best outlets for sharing your story.

While it can be tempting to prioritize coverage in the biggest national outlets—or those with the most name recognition—it may not be the most effective way to tell your story. Research has found that while U.S. adults widely vary in their trust of national media, they overwhelmingly see value in local news.

The Pew Research Center found:

• 85% of U.S. adults say local news is either somewhat, very or extremely important.
• 69% of U.S. adults say that local journalists in their area are mostly in touch with their community.
• Americans have relatively positive views on local news compared to news organizations as a whole, where less than half agree that news organizations in general do a very or somewhat good job.
• Local news is far less politically polarized than national news. Roughly three-quarters of Democrats (78%) say their local media do well at reporting news accurately, as do about two-thirds of Republicans (66%). By comparison, a 2022 Pew Research Center survey found that 51% of Democrats and just 17% of Republicans say that news organizations in general do a very or somewhat good job of reporting the news accurately.

With five campuses across Minnesota and Extension offices in all of the state’s 87 counties, it’s hard to think of anything at the University that doesn’t have a direct impact on a local community. Telling your story to the communities you want to reach, in the places that they read and trust, often means telling the story through local news. 

Here are a few prompts to help you localize a story: 

• Where do those impacted by your topic live and work? 
• Does your work have ties to any specific locations? 
• Do you have placements, residencies, or other programs for students in specific communities? 
• Does your expert have a connection to a specific community that they are interested in sharing? 

The Minnesota Newspaper Association is a great place to explore the news outlets located across the state. Additionally, your University Marketing Communications PR team is here to help with sharing your story with the media—locally and nationally. Reach out to [email protected] to discuss ways to amplify your work.