We asked you about your local news needs. Here’s what you said.
We asked hundreds of Mat-Su residents about their news needs and topic interests.
What you need to know:
- Mat-Su residents who responded to a Mat-Su Sentinel news needs survey said they feel connected to their community but expressed mixed to low satisfaction with local news coverage, highlighting an ongoing need for more comprehensive and engaging journalism.
- Most respondents access news through Facebook, followed by news websites and radio. They prioritized coverage of local government, community events and road work, while sports was the least desired topic.
- The Mat-Su Sentinel used a diverse survey approach to gather insights. The responses will help shape our editorial focus, improve transparency and support fundraising efforts.
PALMER – A Mat-Su Sentinel community news survey shows that while Matanuska-Susitna Borough residents feel a strong connection to their community, many remain underwhelmed by the current state of local news coverage, revealing both a challenge and an opportunity for news providers in the region.
The data, gathered through an online questionnaire, printed survey cards and an interactive board between January and early May, captures the perspectives of hundreds of Mat-Su residents.
The survey period began about six months after the Sentinel’s initial June 2024 launch and included responses from individuals familiar with the news source and those just learning about it for the first time.
Results also include feedback on how and where respondents access news and information, and which topics interest them most. A separate set of questions presented at an annual transportation fair earlier this year gauged interest in specific road construction and related topics.
Looking for strong community ties
Many Mat-Su residents feel a strong connection to their community, while others feel that connection could be stronger.
Asked to rate how connected they feel on a scale of 1 to 5, about 50 respondents selected 4 or 5 — a strong indication they care about their neighborhoods, their neighbors and local issues. Nearly as many — 48 — rated their connection a 3. About 30 selected 1 or 2.
Studies show that access to clear local news reduces polarization and strengthens community ties. We included this question to gauge the need for that connection among both current Mat-Su Sentinel readers and those just learning about us.
Satisfaction with local news is mixed
When it came to local news coverage, community sentiment was mixed.
Asked how satisfied they were with current local news offerings, many respondents selected middle-range scores, with some indicating dissatisfaction altogether. Ratings of 2 and 3 were common, suggesting that while some information is reaching residents, it is not necessarily meeting expectations.
We included this question as a type of report card — both for the Sentinel and for other regional news providers. It demonstrates a strong need for improved local news coverage, in both substance and volume.
This dissatisfaction also reflects a growing national concern: As local newspapers downsize or disappear, many communities are left without consistent, high-quality coverage of city council meetings, school boards, local development and other civic issues.
Solving that problem is a core mission of the Sentinel. Having data to demonstrate the need is critical to our future success.
A range of ages, a range of methods
Survey respondents could give their names and email addresses if they wanted to, but that information was not required. And while participant demographics ranged widely, the majority who shared their age through the online version of the survey were 56 or older.
The survey also explored where Mat-Su residents find their news. Given a wide variety of source options ranging from official government channels to friends and family to various online platforms, most respondents, 130, said they find their news via Facebook. About 90 said they turn to a news website such as MatSuSentinel.com, while about 70 said they get their news from radio.
What people want more of
While most of the survey questions were designed to help us understand the local news audience, one question aimed to identify which news topics interest Mat-Su residents most. This question appeared in all forms of the survey, including on printed cards, online and via an interactive board at community events.
We gathered information on this because we wanted to answer two questions we tackle daily: Is the Sentinel focused on the right coverage? And what topics should we add as we expand?
Individuals were asked to select from among the following topics: local government, community events, local business, schools, sports, road work and local crime.
Of the hundreds of responses, 197 individuals picked “local government” as their top choice. In close second was community events, with 169 selections. About 100 people also selected road work as a highly desired topic. Sports had the fewest selections, at 28.
These responses confirmed that the Sentinel is on the right track with its current focus on local government coverage and led us to prioritize community events and road work coverage going forward.
We also asked individuals who took the survey at our table during the annual Mat-Su Transportation Fair a series of transportation-specific questions. We know road work and transportation are top interests — but what, specifically, do people want to know?
We asked individuals to choose from among these specific projects, which were also highlighted at the fair: Bogard-Seldon Corridor, Knik River Bridge, Glenn Highway restoration, West Su Access Road, Tex-Al Drive, Fern Street, Wasilla Main Street and the Bogard/Engstrom roundabout.
Of those, the Bogard-Seldon Corridor and Glenn Highway restoration tied for first, with Wasilla Main Street and Knik River Bridge tied for second.
We also asked respondents which type of transportation interests them most: air, rail or road. Most selected road.
How we gathered this information
Before starting the survey, the Sentinel consulted a how-to playbook on community listening created by The Listening Post Collective. The Sentinel also received a grant from The Listening Post Collective to help fund the work.
To collect this information and reach as many Mat-Su residents as possible, we fielded the survey in three distinct ways between January and May.
First, we launched an online version shared via Facebook, the Mat-Su Sentinel newsletter and our weekly text news delivery service (sign up for that here).
Next, we distributed printed survey cards and collected interactive responses through a sticky-note voting system at five community events in Talkeetna, Willow and Palmer. We also shared survey cards at community council presentations in Big Lake and Wasilla.
Hosting a table at community events and speaking to community councils gave us an invaluable chance to meet Mat-Su residents, share information about the Sentinel and gather verbal feedback and story ideas. We answered questions about what nonpartisan news means, how we ensure the Sentinel remains nonpartisan, how the Sentinel is funded, and our mission (available on our About page).
Trust, transparency and the road ahead
As nonprofit and independent news outlets continue to emerge across the country — often in response to newsroom closures and corporate cutbacks — surveys like this serve as a crucial tool for shaping editorial priorities and earning public trust.
The Sentinel plans to use this data not only to guide current and future coverage topics, but also as a benchmark for evaluating performance and refining how we deliver news that meets local needs. We’ll also be using it to help us with fundraising. For example, the response data was used in a successful Palmer Community Foundation grant application that recently funded new Sentinel camera equipment. It also helped us raise money to hire a freelancer for community event coverage.
Want to be part of what it takes to provide local news to Mat-Su? Become part of the solution today by starting or upgrading your membership.
-- Contact Mat-Su Sentinel at contact@matsusentinel.com
