Conducting Focus Groups to Understand Local News Audiences

Journal of Communication, 1996

The focus group is a frequently used method in the social sciences. It is particularly useful when researchers seek to discover participants' meanings and ways of understanding. In this paper we relate the history of the focus group as a research tool, from its original uses by Lazarsfeld and Merton in early communications research to its decline as social science research became more strongly quantitative and experimental. We also explore the recent revival of the focus group in audience reception studies. Contemporary uses of focus groups conducted within the critical tradition are also discussed, leading to a reappraisal of the method and its appropriateness for media and communications research. It is argued that the focus group discussion should be regarded as a socially-situated communication, and the various relations this may bear towards different approaches to mass communication are discussed, together with their implications for research practice.

With resources for local journalism outlets on the decline and the use of digital tools on the rise, there has been greater consideration of the audience among journalists, editors, and foundations. This concern with understanding audiences, particularly in efforts to better meet their critical information needs, links back to the civic or public journalism movement of the 1990s as well as the FCC standards set for ascertainment of community needs during the 1970s. Yet, a limited amount of current scholarship addresses a qualitative understanding of local news audiences’ habits and beliefs. Drawing upon data from six focus groups across three communities, this paper highlights three common themes, which we have labeled: a) self-reliant news consumer, b) lack of citizen journalism, and c) continued importance of interpersonal networks. These themes may provide insights into the nature of local news consumers and a guide to avenues for future research.

I will evaluate the effectiveness of focus groups as a research method. Throughout this reflection, I will be referencing my own experience of conducting a Focus Group Session within a group project and discussing the literature that grounded my understanding of this research method. The main purpose of this is to demonstrate the theoretical ideas implemented into our research and how it had a fundamental impact on the results of our group project. Then after establishing the theoretical framework which helped this project it is possible to discuss the demands that challenged me during this task. Firstly, it will discuss a brief history of focus groups, to give context to what underpinned the study as my personal consideration throughout this project. I will then breakdown the process discussing the successes and failures of preparing and conducting a focus group study and the subsequent demands learnt from partaking this exercise. It is important to first establish an initial understanding of the history of focus group interviews in order to give context to the rest of this critical reflection and then how this research shaped the way this study was firstly undertaken. In my initial research I found that Focus groups were first established by scientist Robert Merton; as a way of opening the dialogue between soldiers and their moral that focused on US military during the war. This

Local news outlets are competing for the attention of their audiences like never before. In the current high-choice environment, what can local news providers do to make sure their news is valuable to their audiences? Likewise, what kinds of data do organizations whose missions are to support and strengthen local news need to do their work? This report lays some groundwork for answering these questions. Drawing on a survey of New Jersey local news consumers (N=305) conducted by the national media and technology advocacy organization Free Press, and the transcripts from a number of focus groups Free Press designed to assess local information needs, we present a snapshot of how New Jersey residents feel about their local news, how they are accessing it, and which topics they want to see more of. Perhaps not surprisingly, given the widespread cuts to local newsrooms over the last decade (Center for Cooperative Media, 2017), compounded by the revision of the business model in the digital environment, audiences are expressing frustration.

The Qualitative Report, 2008

The town hall focus group method is described in this paper. We start by outlining the circumstances that brought about this unusual research strategy. Then, we describe the tactical decisions we made that allowed this particular effort to be a success. We conclude with a series of concrete suggestions for conducing focus groups with large groups of people.

Substantive local news is a rare commodity in many communities across the United States. For areas with high levels of violence, crime, and poverty, this absence can be compounded by a history of stigmatization. Often the only local news available is negative. This white paper supported by the Tow Center for Digital Journalism and the Metamorphosis Project explores potential impacts of local solutions journalism, particularly for underrepresented and stigmatized communities. Solutions journalism explores responses to systemic social problems—critically examining problem-solving efforts that have the potential to be scaled. Following a community-based media project in South Los Angeles, six focus groups were held with 48 African American and Latino residents examining how participants responded to the solutions journalism format. Study findings illustrate how residents navigate and critically interpret mainstream local coverage—often using alternative digital sources to cross-check stories and seek information. The study also suggests that these residents will respond positively to solutions journalism —though participants’ enthusiasm may be tempered by larger concerns regarding structural inequalities. Participants suggested they would be more likely to seek out news and share stories if solutions journalism was more common, and many suggested these stories helped them envision a way to become personally involved in community problem-solving.

Non-profit news publishers, a small but growing piece of the news media environment, often expli- citly attempt to build strong ties with their audiences. Many assume this approach differs from that of legacy newsrooms, which have historically kept the audience at arm’s length. In this article, I argue that this distinction has blurred. In-depth interviews with reporters and editors at a daily newspaper (The Chicago Tribune) and a local news non-profit (City Bureau) reveal that: (1) both organizations are pursuing a more collaborative relationship with their audiences; and (2) this pursuit is ill-suited for the traditional mass audience approach to news production. I conclude that journalists aspiring to work more closely with the audience find greater success when that audience is narrow to begin with.

Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation, 2004

Newspaper Research Journal, 2004

2007

Local television news has seen competition for audiences increase as mass audience fragments, appointment viewing disappears, and Internet usage explodes. How can television stations produce quality local news that attracts and engages audiences in this ever-shifting landscape? A new study by the Medill School and the Media Management Center at Northwestern University, funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, addresses this and other questions. The study gives television stations insights that will help them better engage their audiences, stimulate strategic thinking about their position and role in the market, and better connect with viewers in ways that could lead to improved civic involvement. In today's changing media world, it is critically important for news media to understand what builds emotional connections and engagement, and how to use that understanding to attract, keep and build audiences.