West Side Area Residents Say Local Media Earns Conditional Trust, National Coverage Falls Short

West Side area residents are more likely to trust and engage with local media than national outlets, but even local journalism must continue earning confidence, according to four community surveys conducted by The Culture during a Dec. 11 networking and information event at the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation, 5500 W. Madison St. in Austin. One component of the event was designed to pull residents directly into the local news production process. 

The evening drew roughly 30 community members, representing West Side and West Suburban communities, including Austin, North Lawndale, West Pullman, and Irving Park. Several respondents identified their location simply as “other.” 

A central feature of the event was introducing residents to the people who actually produce local news — and then allowing them to step inside that process themselves.

Six participants represented local and independent media. They included: Igor Studenkov, freelance journalist; Bonnie McKeown, freelance journalist and nonprofit leader; Jessica Mordacq, reporter, Austin Weekly News; Max Reinsdorf, executive director, Growing Community Media; Isaac Lewis Jr., executive director and publisher, North Lawndale Community News; Charles Preston, community engagement manager, Injustice Watch; and Michael Romain, publisher, The Culture.

Romain facilitated a wide-ranging dialogue on how local news is produced on the West Side. One of the event’s primary goals was to bring residents directly into the newsroom process by simulating an editorial meeting, allowing attendees to see how story ideas are debated, shaped, and prioritized.

Who responded — and who didn’t

Four surveys were administered:

• Media Experience Survey #1 (8 respondents)
• Media Experience Survey #2 (4 respondents)
• Where Do You Get Your Information? Survey (13 respondents)
• Needs & Capacities Assessment Survey (4 respondents)

In total, roughly one-third of attendees completed at least one survey — even though gift prizes were offered as incentives.

That participation rate highlights a major challenge for community-based journalism on the West Side, prompting journalists to explore ways to better motivate residents to share their experiences, needs, and insights. Organizers say the low response rate is itself a critical data point, underscoring the need for deeper trust-building, clearer communication about how the information will be used, and more creative engagement strategies. 

Local trust, national disconnect

Across both Media Experience surveys (12 total respondents): 

• 67% said they feel comfortable contacting media outlets
• 67% have reached out to a media outlet in the past

Outlets named included The Culture, Austin Weekly News, Block Club Chicago, Village Free Press, WTTW, ABC, CBS, WGN, Fox, BET, Triibe and CAN TV.

When asked about representation: 

• 76% said their community is fairly or somewhat fairly represented by local media
• 92% said their community is not fairly represented by national media

Several respondents noted that positive experiences with journalists were often tied to existing relationships, underscoring the role of trust and familiarity in whose stories are covered. 

Where residents actually get information

The “Where Do You Get Your Information?” survey, in which 13 people responded, showed that residents build their own information ecosystems, drawing from:

• Family and friends
• Workplace and neighborhood organizations
• Community meetings and faith spaces
• Books, libraries, and newspapers
• Email newsletters and local radio
• Social media — especially Instagram and Facebook

When asked for their single most trusted source, respondents named The New York Times, The Guardian, The Culture, peer-reviewed journals, and, repeatedly, their personal networks.

What the community says it needs

The Needs & Capacities Assessment survey (4 respondents) revealed that residents want stronger coverage of:

• Employment and educational opportunities
• Business and nonprofit development
• Healthcare and wellness
• Racial justice
• Public safety
• Faith and community programming

At the same time, residents expressed a willingness to help build that coverage — volunteering as citizen reporters, researchers, photographers, editors, event coordinators, and donors.

Taken together, the surveys and the editorial-meeting simulation reveal a community eager not just for better journalism, but for participation in its creation.

The findings suggest that trust in journalism grows from proximity, accountability, and inclusion, while distance — especially at the national level — fuels disconnection.

For The Culture, the message from Dec. 11 was unmistakable—meaningful journalism on the West Side is not something done to the community. It is something built with it.