With a population that skews older and a patchwork of information channels—ranging from Facebook groups to library bulletin boards—Florence faces the challenge of keeping residents informed without a single, consistent hub. The project, conducted by University of Oregon students, included a co-designed survey with 106 responses, a well-attended listening session, and weekly planning meetings with community partners.
Topic: Oregon
Community Perspectives on Oakridge’s Information Ecosystem (2025)
The closure of the Dead Mountain Echo in 2020 and limited capacity of the Highway 58 Herald have left Oakridge relying heavily on Facebook, word of mouth, and bulletin boards. While residents expressed deep pride in their community, they voiced frustration over fragmented, biased, or outdated information.
Assessing Oregon’s Local News & Information Ecosystem 2025
This 2025 report builds on our 2022 assessment, providing an updated snapshot of Oregon’s evolving local news landscape—highlighting challenges, emerging solutions, and key initiatives shaping the future of civic information in our state.
Engaged Journalism: Listening to Salem’s Hispanic Community
Guided by the Listening Post Collective’s Playbook, the team conducted a bilingual survey, held a listening session with 80 students, and visited community gathering spaces. The assessment revealed that while residents—especially youth—are highly connected through personal networks, social media, and local Spanish-language radio, there remain gaps in access to trusted, timely, and bilingual civic information.
Community Perspectives on Rogue Valley’s Information Ecosystem (2023)
The study revealed a community deeply interested in local events, politics, and safety, yet hampered by a fragmented and uneven information landscape. The closure of the Medford Mail Tribune in 2023 left a significant gap, prompting the emergence of new outlets like the Rogue Valley Times and the expansion of existing media.
Southern Oregon journalism presents a case study for a University of Oregon center
The Agora Journalism Center at the University of Oregon is focused on helping build journalism that comes FROM the community, FOR the community. AJC Director Andrew DeVigal has been studying the Southern Oregon journalism scene for a while now, and
Oregon lawmakers ponder grants for local news
An amended version of the bill won’t include tax credits for donating or subscribing to news outlets
Lessons from Southern Oregon’s local news collapse
The Medford paper’s demise is also yet another cautionary tale of what can happen when local newspapers fall into the hands of remote investors. It was sold repeatedly to out-of-state investors who whittled away until there was nothing left.
The government’s role in growing Oregon’s news ecosystem, with the Agora Journalism Center
Regina and Andrew talked with Oregon Bridge about the state of Oregon’s news and information ecosystem—and some of the innovative ideas from across the state. This conversation is about journalism, but specifically for a more politics-focused audience.
We mapped local news in Oregon. Here’s how it can be stronger.
A new study from the Agora Journalism Center finds issues and solutions