In the summer of 2020, two surveys — one conducted by University of Denver (DU) with support from The Colorado Trust and the other one by Colorado Press Association (CPA) and Colorado News Collaborative (COLab) of their members and partners — assessed Colorado journalists’ views of their own news outlets and coverage, and of the state of the broader news ecosystem in Colorado. In their answers, journalists highlight strengths, identify weaknesses, and propose solutions for improving local journalism in Colorado.
Today, Colorado Media Project (CMP) is releasing a report presenting 10 takeaways from these two journalist surveys and discussing the implications of the findings.
And on April 6 from 9 to 10 a.m. MT, CMP and The Colorado Trust will host a virtual forum to learn more from the researchers, discuss the findings with journalism leaders from across the state, and get recommendations for smart investments in local news that bolster accountability and civic engagement.
Among the Top 10 takeaways:
Colorado newsrooms are running on fumes. Three in five journalists say that “lack of staff” is the biggest reason that important stories are going untold. But they have ideas on how to make things better.
Gaps exist in coverage of important topics, geographies and BIPOC communities. Journalists identified health care, transportation and the environment as topical gaps, and pointed out that rural communities and Black, Indigenous, and other people of color don’t get adequate coverage — and their issues are often not presented with the complexity they deserve.
More newsroom diversity and community engagement could help. Colorado journalists are experimenting with new methods for involving residents in their journalism, and many yearn to create more inclusive newsrooms — but lack of time, staff, cultural fluency, and leadership prioritization are creating roadblocks.
Acting on these and other important lessons detailed in the report will be vital for the future of Colorado’s local news outlets and their ability to survive, thrive, and continue providing reliable local news as a public service to their communities.
It’s worth noting that data for these two surveys were collected at a particularly historic moment: the U.S. was in the midst of both a contentious presidential election and a global pandemic, and many Americans and Coloradans were participating in protests for social justice and against systemic racism.
Against this backdrop, The Colorado Trust also was interested in hearing from non-journalists about their views on the current reach and scope of local news and the state of accountability journalism. At a time of crisis and change, how well were journalists able to hold the powerful to account, inform the public and illuminate systemic inequities? And which non-journalism information sources did community members trust to give them fact-based local news about their communities?
Researchers from the University of Denver and Hearken examined these questions, with support from The Trust. In addition to the journalist survey, this team undertook a mixed-method approach of content analysis and community listening and design. Their report, linked here, sheds light on where accountability journalism is happening, and how shortcomings in funding, media diversity and community trust might be addressed to strengthen journalism in the long term.
For more information on the COLab/CPA survey and 10 Takeaways from Journalists, please contact Melissa Davis, Director of the Colorado Media Project. For more information on The Colorado Trust research, please contact Noelle Dorward, The Trust's senior advocacy program manager.