Almost one in ten (89%) of people ‘access news’ because it helps them feel connected to their community according to the second ACM Heartbeat of Australia study.
And 86% of local news readers are satisfied with life versus 61% of those who don't access local news.
The study also found that 84% of people believe local and regional news brands cover issues that affect the community well, and 84% agree that it’s done better than national/international news brands.
The research, in partnership with the University of Canberra based on a survey of more than 6,000 people, was designed to track the sentiment of Australians; how they feel, their concerns, how they connect to their community and their relationship with local news and advertising.
Regional Australians feel advertising is more relevant to them (66%), informative about businesses in their local area (68%) and consider it useful to find out about products and services (51%). Regional newspaper readers are looking more to local businesses (60%) and local governments (48%) to increase their advertising spend.
Local newspapers remain the most trusted source of news (60%), followed by radio (47%) and TV (39%). Only a small number of people trust news found on search engines (25%) and podcasts (25%). 37% of local print newspaper readers trust ads relating to the local community compared to local online media consumers (23%).
Trust in local news brands is particularly strong amongst ACM readers (67%, 16 percentage points higher than non-readers), regional Australians (66%) and those over the age of 45 (67%). Distrust in social media continues to be an area of concern for over half of respondents.
ACM MD Tony Kendall said ACM takes very seriously its mission to support the communities it serves and this study shows that without a regional independent voice, communities have no trusted way of staying connected.
"Relevant news and information is vital for the sustainability of our regional towns," said Kendall.
“Local news speaks directly to its audience. Whether it’s talking about local events, the newest cafe in town or the next big housing estate, our audience can instantly identify with what they are reading and this is where connections are built. A connection that local businesses and national brands should be leveraging.
“Regional Australians who typically consume more local news than their metro counterparts feel that advertising and information about local businesses is more relevant to them because our advertisers tailor their messages.
"It's also a pretty clear message to national brands that when they advertise in local news they should localise their message as much as possible to ensure relevance and, in turn, cut through.”
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