Community Listening Sessions across Oregon.

Insights from Salem’s Hispanic Community and Trends from Previous Assessments

In our ongoing efforts to bridge the information gap across Oregon, the Agora Journalism Center is excited to share our latest report, “Engaged Journalism: Listening to Salem’s Hispanic Community.” This study, a collaborative effort by Professor DeVigal’s Engaged Journalism students and SCI’s Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP), offers fresh insights into the information needs of Salem’s Hispanic residents.

Key Insights from the Latest Report:

• Personal Networks and Social Media as Information Hubs: With 36% of residents participating in our discussions saying they share information primarily among coworkers and classmates, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are essential for community updates.
• Education as a Priority: K-12 education is a major concern, calling for improved informational resources.

To dive deeper into these findings, visit UO’s Scholars’ Bank for the full report.

Trends from Previous Assessments

Before our time in Salem, previous Engaged Journalism classes conducted similar assessments across La Pine, Hermiston, and Rogue Valley, revealing evolving trends and common themes in the information needs of Oregon communities.

• Digital Reliance: Communities increasingly rely on digital platforms for news and information.
• Trust in Local Media: Despite the rise of digital consumption, there is consistent trust in local radio and newspapers.
• Information Gaps: Significant gaps remain, particularly in emergency communications and local governance updates.
• Centralized Information Hubs: A recurring theme is the need for centralized information hubs to consolidate scattered and fractured information sources.
• Community Engagement: Engaging community members in local governance through accessible and transparent communication channels is crucial.

What We’ve Learned Over Time

1. Adaptability of Information Sources: Communities adapt to available sources, emphasizing the need for timely and accurate information.
2. The Importance of Trust: Building and maintaining trust in local news sources is crucial for community engagement.
3. The Role of Physical Spaces: Physical spaces like schools and community centers remain vital for information sharing.
4. Youth Engagement: Engaging younger demographics requires innovative approaches like leveraging social media.
5. Bilingual Resources: Providing information in multiple languages is essential for inclusivity.

In light of our findings, we invite Oregon residents to reflect on their evolving information needs and consider how they consume and share critical civic information within their communities. How we access and disseminate news is changing rapidly, and understanding these shifts is essential for fostering a well-informed and engaged public.

Trusted news and information play a crucial role in our society and bring community cohesion, foster mutual understanding, and spotlight injustices, especially those perpetuated by those powerful positions. Maintaining a shared reality is more important than ever in today’s politically fractured society. This shared understanding is foundational to supporting democracy and ensuring all voices are heard.

At the Agora Journalism Center, we are deeply committed to understanding the health of Oregon’s local news and information ecosystem. We aim to make evidence-based recommendations to improve the quality of trusted news and information, particularly for harder-to-reach communities. By focusing on community-specific needs, we seek to enhance the accessibility and reliability of information across Oregon.

We encourage you to connect with the Agora Journalism Center if you want to collaborate with us to improve the health of news and information in Oregon. Your insights and participation are invaluable as we build a more informed and connected society.

To learn more about Professor DeVigal’s Engaged Journalism class and how they conducted the information needs assessment in Salem’s Hispanic community, read: “How one SOJC class is building community trust in media.”