Engaged Journalism: Assessing the Information Needs of Oakridge

Abstract

In early 2025, University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication students conducted an information needs assessment to better understand the local news and civic information flow of Oakridge. In partnership with the Sustainable City Year Program, Agora Journalism Center, and the City of Oakridge, students sought to understand how Oakridge’s needs align with the broader scope of small-town news accessibility. The class co-created a survey based on the Listening Post Collective Playbook, which focuses on community led, civic media projects. In addition, students spent significant time outside of the classroom within the Oakridge community through listening sessions, engagement with Oakridge High School classes, and in-person survey distribution. This project aimed to surface both the barriers to being informed and new ideas for building stronger connections throughout the area.

Based on the survey results, the Engaged Journalism class compiled the following observations about residents’ passion for their community yet frustration with their fragmented local news environment: • Residents rely heavily on Facebook and word of mouth to stay informed, while expressing deep displeasure with the bias, misinformation, and drama that often characterize those spaces. • The Highway 58 Herald—one of the few dedicated local outlets—is seen by many as inconsistent in its coverage, too narrow in its perspectives, or lacking in trust. • There is no single, go-to platform or publication that residents consistently trust for reliable, up-to-date civic information. • Survey participants cited urgent needs for more frequent reporting, better coverage of community events, and a desire for professional, unbiased local journalism rooted in the lived realities of Oakridge residents. • Physical third spaces like cafés, grocery stores, the library, and bulletin boards remain important sources for shared information—but access is uneven, and not all residents benefit equally. • Civic hub collaboration to foster local partnerships

Oakridge residents desire a more inclusive and accessible civic infrastructure. When reliable information is limited to those who are digitally connected, socially networked, or already engaged, it deepens community divides. Not only does Oakridge need stronger coverage, but it would greatly benefit from a shared system of communication that is representative, trustworthy, and available to all.