Thrive Rural Open Field Session
Friday, October 7, 1 – 3 pm ET
Our discussion question: How is your community thinking and acting on the issue of access to quality news coverage in rural communities and Native nations, as well as building trust and accurate rural narratives through national media?
The challenge: Many rural residents and rural-based journalists maintain that much of the recent national coverage of rural America and Native nations portrays rural areas inaccurately and that rural people rely heavily on social media as their primary source of information. As a result, rural and Indigenous voices are missing from conversations on important issues, from climate change to inequality. At the same time, rural people lack coverage of local issues and face increasing disinformation.
The opportunity: Accurate rural narratives, driven partly by high-quality journalism, present an opportunity to help build trust and new relationships across geography. Increased local media gives rural and Indigenous people more timely and credible information about their community. Advancing these two issue areas builds toward equitable rural prosperity.
We want you to join the discussion! Anyone and everyone interested in how accurate rural narratives, equitable information access, and national media coverage of rural areas can help their rural community or Native nation should plan to attend to share a success story or experience and to hear from others.
We will kick off the gathering with a quick, optional peer networking meet-and-greet. Then the whole group will engage in a conversation moderated by Bonita Roberston-Hardy, Aspen CSG’s Co-Executive Director. You don’t have to share your voice to participate in the event; we encourage you to send insights in the chat or simply listen. All are welcome.
related publications
Ten Media Sources Focused on Rural Communities and Native Nations
Check out our roundup of ten media sources highlighting important issues about and to rural communities and Native nations.
Accurate Rural Narrative
Public media and dialogue consistently relate an accurate understanding of the history, conditions, lived experience, and economic, demographic, cultural, and geographic diversity of rural communities and Native nations.
Revealing Rural Realities: What Fuels Inaccurate and Incomplete Coverage of Rural Issues?
This report underscores and articulates how ongoing changes in the structure and business of media and journalism contribute to the…
Changing the Narrative: Building Trust Through Rural Media
Insights on how we can promote accurate rural narratives and increase local media to build trust and new relationships across geography.
