Toff is also the author of "Avoiding the News: Reluctant Audiences for Journalism," which focuses on the public’s changing relationship with news.
As the news industry continuously changes and evolves, it is important that we understand our local news systems and why they might be experiencing audience distrust or general shutdowns. To learn more about this, we sat down with Benjamin Toff, an Associate Professor at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Director of the Minnesota Journalism Center. Toff is also the author of "Avoiding the News: Reluctant Audiences for Journalism," which focuses on the public’s changing relationship with news. Through our interview, Toff helped explain his in-depth research on news audiences and political engagement, public opinion, and changing journalistic practices.
Researching the Local News Ecosystem
One research project that Toff has recently been focusing on is studying the local news ecosystem, mapping where there are gaps in coverage, and developing better indicators for measuring the health of Minnesota’s information environment. When asked about the inspiration for this research study, Toff said, “The inspiration for the project came from a growing awareness we see across the country regarding the state of local news. There's a lot of anecdotal evidence; we keep hearing about stories of newspapers closing down or news outlets consolidating, but we lack consistent ways of measuring these changes and tracking all the new digital outlets filling local coverage gaps.”
The first step of this project was to understand where closures were occurring, patterns in their ownership, and linking their locations to relevant Census data. Moving forward, the team aims to learn more about the content published by local news outlets including what communities and topics they cover, not merely who they say they serve. MJC researchers also want to find out to what extent local outlets are meeting the needs of their community by surveying and interviewing members of the public as well. By gaining insights into these varying types of news organizations and the communities they serve, the team can further understand the ecosystem and the impact of interventions designed to improve it. Toff stated, “Most of them are small businesses facing various challenges, whether in advertising, a lack of access to printing presses, or transition issues as their owners approach retirement and seek someone to take over the business. Therefore, understanding those indicators of the ecosystem's health is essential to devising effective solutions.”
Public Trust in News
Toff has also completed extensive research on public trust in local and national news. Toff reflected on how some people are distrustful because of specific critiques about bias and inaccuracy in news, often echoed by critical voices who are particularly hostile toward the institution of journalism. Still, more people, he argues, simply do not see how it serves to benefit them in the things they care most about in their day-to-day lives and because of changing habits around media consumption are less and less likely to encounter it altogether unless they specifically seek it out. He said, “There are many more people who are mostly, as we put it, indifferent towards news; it's not that they are extremely distrusting. It's just that they struggle to see its value or relevance in their daily lives, and that, to me, is an opportunity for news organizations to build that relationship.”
Because of this, Toff does believe there is room for these news outlets to develop stronger connections with the public in their communities. He said, “I think there's hope of building trust in some of these places where it's been declining.”
What Makes Hubbard Stand Out
When asked what makes Hubbard such a special place for students to study, Toff reflected on the school’s ability to provide students with real-world experiences. “We excel at opportunities for our students to have professional experiences outside the classroom that complement what you're learning in the classroom.”
When asked what advice Toff has for students in Hubbard, he said, “One thing I'd share about journalism and journalism education is that pursuing a career in this field can be a little daunting these days, given the current state of the industry. However, the skills you acquire through a journalism degree around critical thinking, around ferreting out and verifying information, around communicating effectively to a variety of audiences—these are essential life skills that will serve you well in a so many professional careers. It's such a beneficial degree, regardless of whether you decide to pursue a job in journalism. I believe there's tremendous potential there.”
Hubbard Hot Take
When asked what he thought was a Hubbard hot take, Toff said, “The really incredible staff that we have. I think that is unique about our school, and, you know, not many majors, even within the College of Liberal Arts, have the kind of support our school has for all of our majors and the support they provide everyday to our faculty. Whether it's our events staff or the communications staff, we have a really great team beyond the faculty and everybody else that makes the place what it is. Still, I think none of that would be possible without the incredible staff supporting the school.”
Learn More
To learn more about Benjamin Toff’s research and the courses he is teaching, click here.
By Kate Henning, Backpack student
