Rosiles: Call for Lubbock's participation in local news research study

Hi, readers of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Some of you may know me as the A-J's Breaking News and Special Projects Reporter.

However, whenever I am not getting to tell your stories and the stories of West Texas, I am hard at work at the Texas Tech Library, studying for my master's degree in Strategic Communication and Innovation.

My dual role as a reporter and student has given me a unique perspective on the operation of rural news outlets and their evolution to serve our communities better. However, I've noticed a gap in the research landscape. Most research being conducted on local media focuses on other states, with their universities leading the way.

While I am grateful for their research and understanding of news deserts in America and rural news operations, I think it’s time for Texas—specifically Lubbock — to have a voice in the conversation.

Lubbock is primed for this research. It is an oasis in the desert—hours away from other major metropolitan cities—and still has many ways its citizens can receive local news. This is where my research comes in, and I ask that you help me.

I am conducting an independent, anonymous academic research project to understand better how Lubbock citizens use the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal and other local news outlets to meet their local news consumption needs. The survey is designed to be quick and easy, taking no more than 15 minutes of your time.

You can visit https://ttucomc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ePVORmDTchERdNs or scan the QR code attached to the story to complete the survey. By sharing your insights, you are playing a vital role in the ongoing evolution of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal and other local news outlets.

You can also share this column and link to others in your family who are or aren’t subscribers to the A-J. This, in turn, will help me compile my final report to obtain my master’s degree while also helping local news understand how the public perceives them and uses their products in Lubbock.

This research aims to better understand local media and journalists' roles in Lubbock in a digital age and use the findings to learn how to serve our community better.

Thank you for taking the time to help me in my academic career and for your continued support of local journalism.

Mateo Rosiles is the breaking news and special projects reporter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal and a strategic communications graduate student at Texas Tech University.