Data for Decisions

Who makes up your local population – and what are their characteristics?

Demographic and civic data for your region (by zip code, county, and/or state), helping you better understand who lives in your area, how people are connected to civic life, and what community attributes may influence how people access and use information.

Use this to:

➡   Better understand the full makeup of your community
➡   Collect information to support proposals, pitches, and internal planning
➡   Compare with your current reach or engagement levels
➡   Identify potential opportunities to expand your impact

What’s included:

➡   Demographic data (age, race, income, poverty, education, language, origin, broadband access)
➡   Civic engagement indicators (voter turnout, volunteering, local meeting participation)
➡   General trends on how people engage with news and media more generally
 
 
Explore Community Data
 

Which organizations are providing philanthropic funding for media in your region and who is receiving that support?

Understand local giving patterns – see which organizations are receiving media grants, which foundations are providing the funding, and how much funding is flowing. The insight can reveal important clues about where philanthropic attention is focused and where there may be room to build new relationships.

Use this to:

➡   Identify potential funders or re-engage lapsed ones
➡   See which organizations are successfully raising support nearby
➡   Understand how much philanthropic activity is happening in your area
➡   Provide context for funding proposals

What’s included:

➡   Media grant funders and recipients by region
➡   Total giving amounts by funder, recipient, and year
➡   Filters by geography and organization type
 
 
Explore Funder Landscape
 

Who else is covering your community – and what’s missing?

Find maps and data for local news organizations (public media, newspapers, digital startups, ethnic media, local TV news, and others) to help you identify the overall state of local news in your community, see where your newsroom fits, where there’s overlap, and where there may be coverage gaps or unmet needs.

Use this to:

➡   Understand the overall state of local news in your community – is it a news desert?
➡   Explore potential partnerships or collaborations
➡   Make the case for your unique role in the ecosystem
➡   Identify types of coverage or audiences that are currently underserved
➡   Plan potential expansion into new areas

What’s included:

➡   Local news outlets by type, format, and ownership
➡   Coverage areas and content focus
➡   Circulation and organizational information (where available)
➡   News desert and watchlist counties
 
 
Explore Ecosystem Maps
 

How do your station’s financials compare to others?

National and peer group averages for revenue sources, expense categories, and financial trends across public media stations of similar size and scope. You can use this information to identify areas where your station is strong, where you may be vulnerable, or where strategic shifts could help you strengthen sustainability.

Use this to:

➡   Assess your revenue mix and dependency on certain sources
➡   Compare your revenue trends and expense allocation with peers
➡   Spot long-term public media financial trends
➡   Prepare for budget planning, board conversations, or grant applications

What’s included:

➡   Revenue by source (e.g., public funding, membership, major gifts, underwriting, state funding, university funding)
➡   Expenses by function (e.g., content, fundraising, administration)
➡   Ten-year trends across peer groups
➡   Filters to drill down by station size, format, or geographic region
➡   More in-depth and up to date trends for individual giving
 
 
Explore Financial Insights