NEWS THAT MATTERS An assessment of Chicagos information landscape September 23, 2010.
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Transcript of NEWS THAT MATTERS An assessment of Chicagos information landscape September 23, 2010.
NEWS THAT MATTERS
NEWS THAT MATTERSAn assessment of Chicago’s information landscape
September 23, 2010
NEWS THAT MATTERSNEWS THAT MATTERS
NEWS THAT MATTERSAn assessment of Chicago’s information landscape
Rachel Davis Mersey, Ph.D.Northwestern University
Vivian VahlbergThe Chicago Community Trust
with Bob LeBaillyNorthwestern University
Funded by The Chicago Community Trust, Knight Foundation, McCormick Foundation and Woods Fund of Chicago
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Four main objectives
•To assess the extent to which the critical information needs of citizens in a democracy are being met in the Chicago area
•To identify critical information gaps and deficiencies that may need to be addressed, particularly assessing how the information landscape varies by race, geography, economic status and other factors
•To develop a barometer of the area’s information health which can be repeated in future years to assess progress
•To examine how the information needs and experiences of the general public differ from those of community leaders
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Part One: Assessment of public opinion
800 20-minute phone interviews •Representative sample•720 landline and 80 cell phone interviews•Conducted in both English (91%) and Spanish (9%)
3 60-minute focus groups•Low-income participants (earnings less than $30,000 annually)•20 participants total
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Part Two: Parallel study of community leaders
Same survey online, plus questions to a diverse group of leaders•250 participants•Sampled from nonprofit, business, government, academia, other fields:
• Trust grant recipients• Leadership Greater Chicago fellows• Catalyst & Chicago Reporter subscribers• Lists of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club, Metropolitan Planning Council, and
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
4 60-minute focus groups •57 participants total•Group size: 11 to 16 people
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Plus assorted other outlets, networks, channels, syndicates & services
Chicago’s current information ecosystem
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Survey Results
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Most important source for…Chicago area information
Job-related information
Special interest information
Neighborhood information
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Respondents with Internet access
84%of thepublic
100% of
leaders
NEWS THAT MATTERS
87% feel “adequately” or “well” informed generally
When asked whether they feel “pretty well informed” about certain topics, many agreed:•79% on issues affecting the Chicago area•78% on their special interests •69% on neighborhood issues•66% on job-related, business or professional issues
Most Chicagoans feel informed
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Respondents able to access the information they need•To form opinions about local problems: 84% •To cope with emergencies: 83%•To learn about practical health concerns: 80%•To learn about government programs & services: 70%•To find out what’s for sale: 67%
They get – or can get – needed information
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Libraries help people find information
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Despite the positives, there are significantproblems in the information ecosystem• Inadequate political information• Unhappiness with media coverage• Difficulty processing & coping with information available• Some better served than others• Not enough opportunities to hear the views of others
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Inadequate political information
51% don’t know enough about candidates or issues to vote
42% don’t know much about the challenges facing the region
48% think local media does not do a good job keeping watch on state and local government
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Unhappiness with media coverage
49% say that “the media does not cover issues I care about very well”
43% say that “nobody covers what happens in my community very well”
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Difficulty processing and coping with the information available
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Some better served than others
The more education
and income people have…
…the better they can
navigate the ecosystem
and the happier they
are with coverage
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Groups who navigate the ecosystem and are happy with media coverage
• College educated• North & northwest suburbs• Central & north areas of the city• Incomes of at least $50,000/year• Whites
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Groups who have the most trouble navigating the ecosystem
• High school education or less• South & west areas of the city• Incomes below $30,000/year• Latino & African-American• Don’t speak English at home
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Those with lower incomes…
• Don’t feel as well informed• Have trouble navigating the ecosystem• Are unhappy with coverage of their communities• Are less civically engaged• Are less tech-empowered• Rely more on local TV
NEWS THAT MATTERS
People who are disproportionatelyhaving a hard time with the system also….
• Don’t enjoy keeping up with news• Are not civically engaged• Rely on neighbors for news, not the media or Internet• Are not tech-enabled
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Not enough opportunity to hear the views of others
NEWS THAT MATTERS
A Special Look: Leaders
• Differ from the public in many ways• Get a daily stream of information from many sources• Are more critical of the ecosystem• Are tech-enabled
NEWS THAT MATTERS
A Special Look: Information Literacy
• Leaders are savvier about what information to trust
• People with Internet literacy training more likely to successfully:• Navigate the info ecosystem• Get the info they need about issues and problems
NEWS THAT MATTERS
In summary
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Our challenges:
• Inadequate political information
• Unhappiness with media coverage
• Many have trouble coping with information
• Some better served than others
• Low income people particularly ill-served
In summary
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Our strengths:
• A wealth of sources, for different purposes
• Widespread Internet access
• Most feel informed
• Most can get the information they need
• Libraries help
• Leaders have special sources
• Information literacy training helps
In summary
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Thank you.
Visit cct.org for the upcoming report News That Matters:An Assessment of Chicago’sInformation Landscape
from The Chicago Community Trust
NEWS THAT MATTERS
Questions?