NEWS YOU

CAN LOSE

Rural Resilience in the New Media Age?

Evelyn EbertEW Scripps School of JournalismOhio University

Nick GarciaRural Sociology

The Ohio State University

• Readership

• Staffing

• Wire service usage

NEWSPAPER TRENDS

• Revenue Crisis

– Closing doors

– Incorporation of sponsored content

– Staff cuts

– Increased wire services

• Democracy?

IMPLICATIONS

CURRENT RESEARCH:

“STATE OF THE NEWS MEDIA”

• National omnibus reader polls

• Content analysis across 6 sectors

• Sampled newspapers on geographic & circulation basis.

• Online competition• Diminished online

revenues– Banner vs. print ads– “Free” content

• Decreased quality– Lower revenues– Fewer staff

FACTORS INFLUENCING NATIONAL

TRENDS

• Local news may be more removed from national interests

WHY MIGHT RURAL BE DIFFERENT?

• Broadband gap

WHY MIGHT RURAL BE DIFFERENT?

HYPOTHESIS:

RURAL TRENDS WILL BE

DIFFERENT FROM

NATIONAL TRENDS.

1. “Remote” nature of rural areas insulates newspapers from competing sources and the need for 24/7 wire feeds.

2. Limited broadband infrastructure has insulated rural newspapers from online competitors and less profitable online distribution.

• Survey

• Sample

METHOD:

7 questions1-5 Likert Scale

1:Significantly increased5:Significantly decreased

“Since 2000, ___ has:”1. Readership2. Staff3. Use of wire services

• State Newspaper Association Directories

• County of readership has an RUC of 4 or greater

• Editor or Publisher• 450 Surveys sent• 63 Responses• Staffing• Wire service usage

• Readership

• Staffing

• Wire usage

• Online accessibility

RESULTS:

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

There are significant changes in ownership across rural papers.

THANK YOU!

QUESTIONS?