Of all the issues we asked Black Augustans about in a survey to understand their news needs — the economy, housing, education — one issue topped them all: how to be prepared for disasters.
It’s not hard to see why. Augusta sits along the Savannah River and is still recovering from 2024’s Hurricane Helene. The storm tore through the city, toppling trees and powerlines, causing $87 million dollars in damage, and leaving 11 people dead. As with most other issues they identified as important, residents reported being dissatisfied with the emergency preparedness information available to them.
As we prepare to launch in Augusta this fall, we set out to understand the gap between what people consider to be important and their ability to get information about it. In July, we partnered with the Civic Information Needs Census and Embold Research to survey over 500 Black Augustans about their local news and information needs. The survey is part of CINC’s wider effort to understand the information gaps that exist in media deserts across the country.
The findings
Black Augustans care most about local emergency preparedness, public safety, the local environment, and health and well-being.
These are the issues Black Augustans rated as most important, and the interviews we conducted back that up. One longtime Augusta resident named crime as a top concern, and pointed to a gap in what her neighborhood offers for outdoor recreational space. Others pointed to flooding, failing infrastructure and a general lack of investment that makes it hard for residents to feel safe and healthy in their city.
Weather also ranked high as an important topic, but residents feel relatively satisfied with their ability to access information on it, which brings us to the next takeaway.
There is a big gap between the issues Black Augustans see as important, and their ability to get information about them.
For 12 of 13 local topics we asked about, there are double-digit gaps between how important Black residents rank the issue and how easy they can find information about it. That gap was the widest on economic opportunity, followed by the environment, housing and health. Several residents said people miss out on grants and opportunities because they don’t know how to access information about it. They expressed a desire for local news to place more emphasis on filling these information gaps, and less on crime and arrests.
News about home is harder to get than national or international news.
Black Augustans say getting news about their own neighborhood is more difficult than accessing news about state, national, or world events. That’s even true for residents who consider themselves plugged in. They said they often feel lost when trying to keep up with local government.
This tracks with what CINC has found in other cities. Among Black Augustans, though, that difficulty isn’t evenly distributed. Men surveyed were 10 points more likely than women to say local news and information is hard to find. What’s more, younger Black Augustans have experienced more difficulty on this than older residents.
Black Augustans get their news from local TV, online search and friends and family. But there’s a generational split.
Residents point to three main go-to’s for good local information: local television, online search engines, and friends, family and neighbors. But there are some stark differences between age groups.
Sixty-eight percent of respondents over 65 named local TV as one of their most useful local sources. Only 13% of respondents between the ages of 18 to 34 agreed, however. Conversely, 39% of the youngest age group we surveyed turn to content creators on social media, while just 7% of the older group do the same.
That divide showed up in our conversations, too. Younger residents described prioritizing social media over television for local news, noting that TikTok had become an especially useful source.
This is not unique. CINC observed this pattern in other cities, but Augusta had the largest age difference they’ve seen to date.
Six in 10 Black Augustans say they are civically engaged
Six in 10 respondents in the survey said they had participated in at least one civic activity — from volunteering with a local group to attending a protest — in the past 12 months. Men, adults ages 35 to 54, and respondents with a college education were more likely to say they’d taken one of these actions:
Even among those who are civically engaged, information is hard to come by. In interviews, they described having to puzzle together basic facts in the absence of accessible sources. One said better access to information would make them feel better prepared to engage with local officials and pass information on to their neighbors.
Black Augustans want coverage that reflects the fullness and complexity of their city
The survey asked Black Augustans to share in their own words what they want their local news to cover, and what emerged is what we hear from Black residents across the country all the time: more stories about achievement, resilience, where to find resources, and opportunities to connect and enjoy the city with their neighbors. Respondents said they aren’t looking to gloss over the challenges they face, but they pushed back on news that only leans toward hardship. Across the board, they are looking for more balanced coverage that includes the positive things happening in their city.
Residents said they want a local newsroom that understands Augusta: a complex city with challenges that need addressing, and successes that are worth covering.
Looking ahead
This survey is one of the most detailed pictures yet of information needs in Augusta. It confirms much of what we learned in the hours of conversations we’ve had with residents: there is a need for a newsroom that covers the issues residents say matter most, that demystifies local government and access to resources, and covers the fullness of Black life in the city.
What Capital B Augusta will become starts with what residents told us here. To keep up with our upcoming launch this fall, sign up for our newsletter.
