What we heard from Ward 7 residents

Hey folks,

George Kevin Jordan here. A few months ago, I decided to work with The 51st team as a Community Connector in Ward 7. My goal was to better understand my neighbors' relationship to local news and to help close the gap between journalists and readers through various forms of outreach. 

After surveys, pop-ups, and one-on-one conversations, I can confidently say: connecting with people is a lot of work. But it is super fun to chat with my neighbors and hear what people actually want, rather than assume what we're writing about is what readers want to see.

These past few months have provided a trove of insights, which I’m giving you a snapshot of today. For example, I learned more than two-thirds of the Ward 7 residents I surveyed have at least some trust in local news outlets — which is promising — but that more than a third of residents feel as though Ward 7 is insufficiently covered. This shows us how urgently we need to grow, and how we should be shaping our editorial priorities.  

My research is only step one in a broader movement to ensure Ward 7 residents see their needs reflected in the local news they read.

Head to The 51st to read my blog post in full, and let’s keep the conversation going.

Best,
GKJ