Newspaper coverage can improve public, political support for water infrastructure issues and investment, according to recent Journal AWWA paper
According to a recent paper, “What People Learn about Drinking Water Disruptions from Local Newspapers,” written by authors C.E. Otero, E.V. Bell, S. Das and M. Mullin and published in the June 2023 edition of Journal AWWA, newspaper coverage of drinking water service issues can help inform public understanding and political support for investments in strengthening water systems. Through previous academic research and the authors’ own recent research of newspaper coverage of water infrastructure issues across 10 years in North Carolina, the authors surmised that newspapers wield a great deal of influence and power “in shaping political communication, individual behavior, and the behavior of elected officials.”
The Capital Strategic Solutions communications team agrees with these findings and also finds that newspapers can lead the media conversation, from national to local coverage. In our experience managing water utilities public information efforts and media relations, we have found that when local newspapers cover a topic it starts a ripple effect of that topic through other forms of media, including the local television news media and local social media channels.
The power of the newspaper to influence people and needed actions should not be underestimated or avoided
According to the paper’s authors, news coverage can also yield positive results in investments for water infrastructure. Although elected officials may want to support possible rate increases to fund water infrastructure improvement projects, they understand that the public, in general, oppose any rate increase that impacts their budgets.
Highlighting when improvements to water systems are being made, and not just when things go wrong, might help the public realize the need for water infrastructure investment.
But when elected officials and voters can both see and read consistent and objective newspaper coverage of water infrastructure issues and concerns, elected officials and the public can gain alignment about the issues and work from a unilateral foundation to make informed choices about rate structures and investments in projects that improve infrastructure and service delivery.
To read the complete paper and get links to other related studies, visit the June 2023 edition of the Journal AWWA.
If you need advisement about media relations or communications planning and execution for your utility or public works infrastructure projects, please contact us at [email protected].