It’s been five months since The Plumas Sun began beaming news and events to readers in Plumas County and beyond. Thank you all for being our community partners — welcoming us into your homes and sending us information about what’s going on in your lives.
For 10 weeks, from Sept. 16 through Nov. 25, we conducted our very first reader survey. We are so grateful to the 491 readers who took the time to share feedback, and help us chart the path forward for our community newspaper. We’re excited to share some of what we learned.
Why conduct a reader survey?
In choosing to administer a readers’ survey, we had several aims in mind. First, we wanted to understand which types of stories, areas of coverage, and regions are most interesting and valuable to our readers. This information will help us to prioritize our growth, and focus on the areas where we can best serve you. Second, we wanted to learn a bit more about our current readers and how they discover information. That helps us more effectively identify areas where outreach is needed, and develop strategies for reaching new readers. And finally, being able to define the audience we serve will aid in securing grants to help stabilize and sustain our fledgling nonprofit organization so we can begin paying our dedicated team of mostly volunteer writers, editors, and staff. All three goals work in tandem to support our mission to provide unbiased coverage of local government and events to all of Plumas County.
Who are The Plumas Sun’s readers?
Plumas Sun readers are overwhelmingly local, with 79% residing in the area more than half the year; another 11% are former Plumas County residents. A majority of survey respondents self-identified as white (93%) and female (68%), both higher rates than in the county population generally.
Readers tend to skew older, with the largest age bracket between 65 and 74. This is in keeping with county demographics overall. According to the United States Census Bureau 2021 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates, the largest population groups in the county are between 55 and 69 years old.
What regions and topics interest Plumas Sun readers most?
Readers are interested in hearing about all of the Plumas County communities or town centers listed in our survey. Volumes tend to align with the population centers, with the largest communities (Quincy, Portola, Graeagle) receiving the most expressions of interest.
How do Plumas Sun readers seek out and consume information?
Current readers most often hear about news for the first time on social media (32%), through digital newspapers or magazines (27%), or word of mouth (23%). They prefer to get their news from digital newspapers or magazines (53%) or hardcopy newspapers and magazines (32%).
When it comes to periodicals, 43% subscribe to between 1 and 3 publications; 17% subscribe to 4 to 6 publications; 32% do not subscribe to any.
What’s next?
Over the coming year, we’ll be working to grow The Plumas Sun in ways that address the needs and opportunities identified in this data.
We’ll also be asking for more feedback. Nearly half (45%) of respondents indicated that they would be willing to talk to us more. We look forward to reaching out to these volunteers after the new year, as well as to Plumas County residents who aren’t yet readers of The Plumas Sun.
Until then, thank you, again, for your support!
