About a quarter of Americans report having spoken with a local journalist, according to a new Pew Research study. The finding highlights the uneven nature of civic engagement with local news media.
Education and income emerged as strong predictors of interaction. Higher levels of both correlate with a greater likelihood of having engaged with a local reporter, the study found.
Race also plays a role, though the data does not specify which racial groups are more or less likely to participate. Community attachment—how connected individuals feel to their local area—further shapes these patterns.
The results suggest that local journalism may reflect the voices of more advantaged segments of the population. This raises questions about whose perspectives are captured in community news coverage.
Pew's analysis is based on survey data, but the report does not disclose sample size or margin of error, limiting broader interpretation of the findings.