Local Media Access and Consumption Can Support Youth Civic Engagement

In today’s digital era, the focus on young people’s access to information about politics and elections has predominantly revolved around their engagement with social media and new media platforms. While research highlighting the role of social media for information access among youth is valuable and necessary, these insights often overlook an equally important aspect of other ways youth find and see information about local issues and elections, including from local and traditional media outlets. 

Despite the lack of attention to it, our research shows that some young people do consume and interact with local media, and that they can find it helpful in feeling informed and ready to vote. Moreover, we find that local news outlets can be a key part of a community's media ecosystem alongside other institutions like libraries and community nonprofits. Stronger media ecosystems are associated with higher youth voting. 

This analysis, based on data from CIRCLE's 2022 post-election survey and pre-2024 election poll, helps us understand where youth see information about issues and elections in their communities. While not all local information comes from local news outlets and sources, these can be especially vital parts of the media ecosystems and civic infrastructure young people need to participate. By focusing on some of the ways young people can access local information, we provide insights on how these communities and institutions can support young people’s civic engagement. 

Black and Latino Youth Are Consuming Local Information at a Slightly Higher Rate

Engaging with local news can inform young people about community issues and create a sense of civic responsibility and participation. During election cycles, especially amidst changes in state laws, learning fundamental details about voting processes and deadlines can be crucial for increasing participation. Local news outlets are often best positioned to share that locally specific information. However, gaps and inequities in the accessibility of local news (Napoli et al., 2015), especially print media, have been a persistent concern for local media networks, journalists, and community leaders. 

Despite those access issues, local news is reaching at least some young people. Data from the CIRCLE’s 2022 post-election survey showed that, within the seven-day period before taking the survey, 22% of youth reported watching or reading information about local news often or fairly often. Some youth of color were more likely to get information from local news: 26% of Latino youth and 22% of Black youth reported consuming local news at least fairly often, compared to 20% of white youth and 15% of Asian youth. Those differences are notable given our previous research, which showed that youth of color are more likely to say that they felt local news helped prepare them to vote in 2020. 

In CIRCLE’s pre-2024 election survey, which asked about news consumption on a longer timeline, 59% of youth ages 18-34 said that they had seen information about politics and issues from local news outlets throughout 2023. 

That said, access to local information remains a concern. It is important to explore the reasons behind limited local news consumption among youth, which may require targeted efforts to increase awareness and accessibility of information about local government, elections, and issues.  

Consumption of Traditional Media like Print and Radio Is Low Among Youth 

There are multiple ways, including different traditional media sources (Donsbach, 2008), that young people can use to consume local news. Some research has shown various benefits to engaging with information from sources like print news, cable TV and local radio. However, according to the CIRCLE survey data, only a small percentage of youth is consuming information often from each of those sources.

Cable Television 

Local Cable Television (TV) stations often feature coverage of community events, interviews with local leaders, and opportunities for residents to voice their opinions—all of which can enhance civic involvement within a community. While cable television could play a critical role in supporting civic participation among youth, CIRCLE survey data from 2022 shows that only 13% of youth reported seeing information about political issues on cable TV at least fairly often in the week before being surveyed. There were only minor differences by race/ethnicity: 16% of Latinos, 14% of white youth, 12% of Black youth, and 10% of Asian youth

Print News Media 

Local newspapers can also disseminate information that empowers individuals to engage in informed democratic participation and address community issues. Even those who do not personally consume newspapers can benefit indirectly through social connections with those who do. Thus, these media outlets contribute to a community’s media ecosystem, providing tangible resources, spaces, and opportunities that facilitate and sustain ongoing civic involvement. For example, previous CIRCLE research found a small but persistent relationship between the number of newspapers in a county and that community’s youth voter turnout in the 2016 presidential election. 

However, as with cable television, we find that only a small percentage of youth are getting information from newspapers. CIRCLE's 2022 poll found that 12% of youth reported using print news media to gather useful information about social and political issues in their community. That suggests a potential gap in youth’s access to vital local civic knowledge and community engagement opportunities that may hinder their ability to participate in local affairs. 

Local Radio  

Local radio stations have historically been a direct connection for youth to local culture and community, and some research also highlights how radio may serve as a tool for expanding democratic participation (Chávez & Soep, 2005). That suggests radio could still be a useful platform for spurring civic engagement and amplifying youth voices, but in the CIRCLE 2022 poll data only 10% of youth reported accessing information about their community from local radio stations. Low radio listenership has been considered indicative of a trend toward increased podcast consumption on digital platforms (Pew Research Center, 2023), and 10% of youth in the same poll reported hearing political information on podcasts. 

Lack of Local Information Can Lead to Weaker Support for Youth Engagement 

The low levels of youth access to or consumption of local news may be contributing to a broader problem of lack of community support for civic participation. CIRCLE’s pre-2024 election poll found that, throughout 2023, only 14% of youth reported having seen or heard information about political issues from community groups and organizations—institutions that may often rely on local media to communicate to their community. 

That same poll found that only about a third (35%) of youth feel that their local community provides adequate resources to support them with understanding and acting on social and political issues. Rural youth (27%) and those without college experience (26%) are even less likely to say they feel they have such local community support, which is associated with higher likelihood to vote. 

CIRCLE’s 2023 research on media ecosystems also underscores the connections between local news outlets, community organizations, and young people’s electoral participation. We found that media density and nonprofits play instrumental roles in strong media ecosystems that contribute to higher civic participation among youth. That research highlights that, beyond direct consumption of local media, incidental exposure and the influence of others' media use can play a significant role in shaping young people's perceptions and behaviors, as they often encounter information and viewpoints indirectly through. 

Additionally, research conducted by CIRCLE in 2022 showed that media and local organizations in a community can work together to increase young people's electoral engagement. Local groups can provide opportunities for youth to work on the issues they learn about on the news, linking their concerns and priorities to forthcoming elections and other forms of civic engagement. 

Recommendations 

Given the importance and impact of youth access to local media, there are several things that both news organizations and local community organizations can do to improve young people’s access to civic information and opportunities: 

For Media Organizations:

• Collaborate with local schools and youth organizations: Partnering with educational institutions and youth-focused organizations can provide valuable insights into the topics and news stories that resonate with young audiences. 
• Diversify content: Create content tailored to the interests and concerns of youth, covering local issues that directly impact their lives and communities. 
• Engage youth in media creation: Actively seek feedback and input from youth to ensure that news coverage reflects their perspectives and concerns, and to empower them with a sense of ownership and engagement with local journalism. Allow youth to co-create content and promote their work to other local youth audiences. 

Recommendations for Local Civic Organizations:

• Collaborate with local news outlets: Partner with local news organizations to amplify community voices and highlight issues of importance to youth, build collaboration, and enhance mutual support between media and civic organizations. 
• Host youth-focused events and workshops: Organize events and workshops that provide opportunities for youth to learn about local issues from local journalists, develop advocacy skills, and engage with civic leaders and organizations. 
• Advocate for media literacy education: Support initiatives to promote media literacy education in schools and communities to empower youth to critically evaluate news sources and civic information. Incorporate local media platforms as a part of the learning activities with youth. 

Youth information consumption has shifted significantly, with social media and new digital platforms now often at the forefront. However, amidst that digital revolution, the role of local and traditional media outlets in shaping youth engagement with civic life is still critical. As we navigate this evolving media landscape, it is imperative for both local news journalists and civic organizations to adapt and innovate their approaches to better engage youth. By including youth in local media creation and dissemination processes, we can ensure that they remain informed, empowered, and actively involved in shaping the future of their communities. 

References

• Chávez, V., & Soep, E. (2005). Youth radio and the pedagogy of collegiality. Harvard Educational Review, 75(4), 409-434. 
• Donsbach, W., & Donsbach, W. (2008). The international encyclopedia of communication. Wiley Publishing. 
• Hill, A. (2020). The Social Media Revolution: Exploring the Impact of New Media Platforms on Information Dissemination. Journal of Media Studies, 22(4), 45–62. 
• Napoli, P. M., Stonbely, S., McCollough, K., & Renningen, B. (2015). Assessing the health of local journalism ecosystems. Prepared for the Democracy Fund, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.