Understanding what readers really want from a newspaper
Let me share a secret. Please don’t spread it around. Let’s keep this between you and me.
After more than 30 years speaking at conventions, writing columns, and advising newspapers, I sometimes wonder why anyone cares what I have to say anymore. I mean, seriously, haven’t I already said everything I have to say?
Sometimes, however, the requests keep coming in. Just this week I agreed to speak at two upcoming industry conventions, one on the East Coast, and one in the Rocky Mountains. My inbox continues to be filled daily with requests from publishers. Newspapers fill my webinars in record numbers.
I’ve given this serious thought, as you might imagine. Over the years, I’ve covered just about every subject imaginable to a newspaper audience. Most of you know I developed the PDF printing method in the early 90s and spoke on that to audiences across the globe before most people had any idea what they were coming to hear abut. When AI was just beginning to become a “thing”, university faculties across the US and industry groups asked me to come help them understand what was on its way. I always liked being ahead of the curve.
These days, when my thought turn to how I might possibly be helpful to all of these newspapers requesting my assistance, I realise that much of what I can do for them is to keep reminding them if who they are and the importance of maintaining and improving the work they do.
After posting a message on social media a few days ago, wondering just how much longer I wanted to travel to speak at conventions, the managing editor of a metro daily in the US sent me a note that simply said, “Keep going. The industry needs you.”
This may sound like an 800-word “slap on my own back” essay, and to some extent it might be. But I have a purpose to this column, and I believe most of you will agree it’s important.
I think my friend who wrote to me is right, but not just about me. Your community needs you. We’ve seen all the lists of most trusted news sources in America this year. The Weather Channel (founded by a group of newspaper folks) is often listed as the most trusted. They are generally followed by PBS, various television networks, and others. For my readers in Asia and Europe, you might be interested to know that the BBC ranks between third and fifth among the most trusted news sources in the US, depending on the poll. Go figure.
Let me share something I know to be true. I understand that these polls list only major mews outlets, because they are obviously most prominent. But I know something most folks don’t know. I’ve travelled throughout the US in the past year, from the far northwest corner of Washington State to the southeast coastal areas on the Atlantic Ocean, all the while leading focus groups.
I bet you can guess what members of these focus groups, spread throughout the US, tell me about their most trusted news sources. You guessed right: their local newspapers.
It always makes me chuckle (internally, of course) when publishers are surprised after reviewing the results of a focus group in their area (I don’t let them attend the actual focus group, so people won’t be afraid of hurting their feelings). Reed Afinson, reacting to positive comments regarding his opinion columns in his newspaper in Benson, Minnesota, might have said it best when he told me, “Wow, I thought they hated my columns.”
They loved them. They didn’t always agree with them, but they loved them.
I knew they wouldn’t hate his column. And I knew they would love his newspaper, because that is the case in every local community I visit to host a focus group.
That probably wouldn’t be the case in most large metro areas when asked about their daily newspapers. It might not be the case in areas where the local paper doesn’t cover much, if any, local news. But in places where newspapers are serious about their communities and delivering local news to them, they are – without any doubt – the most (and sometimes, only) trusted news source.
As a community newspaper, you offer something no post on Facebook or a radio talk show (do they still have those?) can offer.
Keep it up; we need you.
Well what do you know? That’s 800 words. I guess my work, for now anyway, is done.
Kevin Slimp has served as an advisor and trainer to newspapers throughout the world since 1995. His online classes can be found at: newspaperacademy.com
Above: A 2026 survey found that The Weather Channel was considered the most trustworthy broadcasting news service in the United States, at 56 per cent