Overview

• Drawing on audience surveys, analysis of more than 3,000 stories and over 200 interviews, the study finds widening gaps in local news provision across Australia.
• Regional audiences prefer hyperlocal, human‑interest and practical information such as weather and local events rather than heavy emphasis on crime and sport.
• Trust remains higher in locally rooted journalists, with community knowledge and ties identified as key drivers of credibility.
• The report urges community contributions through broadened authorship, reporting workshops, tip‑off channels and events staged outside the newsroom to restore relevance.
• Visual storytelling is flagged as underused, with calls for more video, photo galleries, maps and graphs, streamlined ways for audiences to share visuals and potential photo sales for revenue.