You may think you understand your readers, but there's always a disconnect (and that’s ok)
A remarkable disconnect exists between journalists and their audiences. According to Pew Research Center surveys, journalists and the public in the United States differ dramatically in their assessment of how well newsrooms fulfill their core functions.
The gap is particularly striking when it comes to "covering the most important stories of the day." Anecdotally, we have found that to be just as true in China, both in state media and among independent outlets.
But this discrepancy also points to an opportunity: journalists and their audiences often have different perceptions of what information truly matters. Understanding this gap creates a pathway to greater relevance for journalism, a vast untapped potential.
Journalists and audiences see news value differently.
For decades, journalists have operated under the mission of serving the public by sharing critical information. Traditional journalism relies on established criteria like timeliness, proximity, and impact to determine newsworthiness.
However, when considering these factors – especially proximity and impact – we might ask: "For whom?" and "Who decides?" While journalists report the story, ultimately it's the audience who chooses whether to engage with it.
This realization has led us to evolve our thinking about media impact. We have traditionally believed in theories of change – thoughtful narratives about how journalism can help society transform itself. Over the past months, we have pivoted to a complementary framework that is more focused on the demand-side: a theory of service.
The difference is meaningful. A theory of service encourages a kind of specificity that creates productive reflection. It requires validation in immediate utility.
Moving beyond our assumptions helps us discover what people really need.
Journalists naturally form assumptions about community information needs based on:
Our understanding of what seems like "common sense".
Our familiarity with certain topics.
Our personal experiences and backgrounds.
For instance, in our own research in China among blue collar workers, we initially thought education would be a primary information need based on our assumptions. Through interviews and surveys, we discovered different priorities entirely (more on this in a later post).
In open societies, we face opportunities for improvement. But in heavily restricted media contexts like China, these challenges become even more pronounced. Press freedom is non-existent, information circulation is tightly controlled, and producing content that truly serves audiences requires additional creativity.
These challenges emerge from several factors:
Platform constraints affect which stories can reach people.
Access constraints limit how information can be gathered.
Limited audience research makes it difficult to identify coverage gaps.
Social factors can make certain communities' needs less visible.
Censorship and surveillance lead to fear of engagement in any such work.
Creating journalism that makes a meaningful difference requires rethinking service.
A theory of service helps us be specific about who we serve and how. It moves us from general aims of "informing the public" to concrete questions: How are we helping people make better healthcare decisions? Understand school choices? Navigate housing markets?
When we measure success by utility to real people alongside traditional metrics, we open new possibilities. The strongest media organizations understand that people engage with journalism that helps solve problems, improves lives, offers recognition, or builds community.
This approach enhances journalism's craft – the skills of critically and empathically observing, understanding, and conveying remain central. These skills simply become more focused on serving genuine human needs.
When we focus on being genuinely useful to people, we discover exciting new possibilities for journalism. The path forward involves creating value that audiences recognize and appreciate in their daily lives.
The question becomes not just whether journalism matters in the abstract, but how we're making a difference in people's lives. By answering that question thoughtfully, we create journalism that truly matters.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll publish bits and pieces of our research related to this. These bits may be very specific to a certain context but we invite you to think of them as inspiration for your own contexts. The truth is if we can do this remotely in China, chances are we can do this anywhere. It’s more a matter of perspective.
If you have feedback, questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch at hello@gazzetta.xyz
