Design events and digital spaces to create — and measure — impact
Nichole Dobo, for the American Press Institute,
With careful planning, events and newsroom-created gathering spaces can help local media measure impact and trust.
People are eager for experiences where they can make sense of the world and get to know people — even people who share different beliefs — but the top barrier they face is a lack of opportunities to do so, according to a 2025 report from More in Common.
Local journalists can be the conveners who make that happen. Just under half of readers rated local news as the best source of useful information — far outpacing national news, influencers and AI chatbots, according to recent polling conducted by the Media Insight Project. And new research from the Pew Research Center shows the most active and engaged community members are most likely to trust their local news.
Local newsrooms are well-positioned to host events — both online and in-person — in their communities that help increase trust and, in turn, grow revenue and loyal readership.
Events and dedicated spaces can serve as a catalyst for these and other impact signals for newsrooms to track, but they are also time-consuming and can be expensive, and many local newsrooms don’t have staffing or money to spare. This article outlines some guiding principles that news leaders can use to proactively design events and platforms that work.