An informative study of information

Michael X. Delli Carpini, dean of the Annenberg School, and the Lenfest Institute studied how Philly residents receive news and information.

In a new report published today by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism and the Annenberg School for Communication, Philly residents say they are often overwhelmed with the amount of information that they get on a daily basis.

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To understand what information Philadelphians seek and why they choose the sources they use, Annenberg School Dean Michael X. Delli Carpini, Lenfest Institute research analyst Mariela Morales Suárez, and Burt Herman, director of Innovation Projects at The Lenfest Institute, convened 64 Philadelphia residents of different ages, income levels, ethnicities, and races in eight focus groups to learn how locals seek information in their daily lives. That report, “Being Informed: A Study of the Information Needs and Habits of Philadelphia residents,” is published this week.

“Small-scale, in-depth conversations such as the ones we conducted have their limits,” says Delli Carpini. “Nonetheless the patterns that emerged paint a picture of people from all walks of life attempting to navigate a complex local, national, and global information environment that was simultaneously concerning and touching.” 

The report identifies seven ways media and information outlets could better serve its Philly community. 

Read more at the Annenberg School for Communication.