Honors Senior Thesis
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Are E-Newsletters The Future for
Community Newspapers?
By
Alex Baumeier
Senior Honors Thesis
Hussman School of Journalism and Media
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
April 16, 2020
Approved:
______________________________ (Penny Abernathy), Thesis Adviser
_____________________________ (Kate Sheppard), Reader
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Abstract
In this thesis, the relationship between a sense of community and e-newsletters was
analyzed. Although, it was found that print newspapers are known to foster a sense of
community among individuals in a geographic area, in recent years, readership of print
newspapers has been declining (Mersey (2009), Abernathy (2018)). Instead, there has been an
increase in e-newsletters to deliver news electronically to subscribers, but it is unknown whether
this outlet can satisfy individual’s innate need to belong. A survey was sent out to subscribers of
the Sway e-newsletter and the Pilot’s Briefing e-newsletter. Both e-newsletters provided similar
news to the Moore County community in North Carolina, however the Sway is written with a
relaxed and comical tone, whereas the Pilot’s Briefing is more straight to the point. The results of
the survey concluded that both Sway and Briefing subscribers felt closer to their community after
reading the e-newsletter, but it is statistically significant that the Briefing subscribers felt closer
than the Sway subscribers to the community. Furthermore, it was found that a sense of
community can bring monetary benefits. Subscribers that feel a greater sense of community after
reading the e-newsletter are more willing to pay for the e-newsletter, attend events found in the
e-newsletter and recommend the e-newsletter to a friend.
Acknowledgments
I would like to gratefully recognize my advisor, Professor Penny Abernathy, the
Publisher of the Pilot, David Woronoff, and Elizabeth Adams for their guidance throughout this
research study. I have not only learned a great amount from each of you, but have garnered a
deeper appreciation for local news and research.
Table of Contents
Introduction…………………………………………….... Page 3
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Literature Review……………………………………….... Page 5
Method…………………………………………………… Page 18
Results……………………………………………………. Page 21
Discussion………………………………………………... Page 27
Creating Value…………………………………………… Page 28
Implications……………………………………………… Page 33
Further Research……………………………………….... Page 34
Appendix………………………………………………… Page 34
Resources………………………………………………... Page 36
Introduction
“A caring community does not happen by accident, it is built.”—David Woronoff, publisher of
the Pilot
Studies about the relationship between communication and community have been
analyzed throughout history through a variety of disciplines (Hoffman & Eveland 2010). The
importance of the topic stems from a sense of belonging being a fundamental need for humans to
survive (Armstrong & Philip, 2017). However, a sense of belonging is more complicated to
achieve than most people think nowadays. It is established through trust, relationship building,
and acceptance over time (McLeod, 2018). From studies done by Stamm (1988), Mersey (2009),
Hoffman and Eveland (2010) and others, it is supported that local newspapers can help build and
strengthen a sense of community.
However, the way community is defined varies between researchers. For purposes of this
study, I will be analyzing a sense of belonging as a gateway to a sense of community or a sense
of connectedness. A sense of belonging, as defined by Brown (2017), is the innate human desire
to be a part of something larger than a single individual. Because trust is a contributor in
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developing a sense of belonging and a prevalent issue in news, it will be analyzed as well.
Community, in this study, will be defined by a sense of place or the combination of physical and
perceptual factors (Jeffres, Atkin, & Neuendorf, 2002). Identification with place, roughly defined
as community ties, and psychological closeness with a community, roughly defined as
community attachment, will be analyzed to differentiate how people feel a sense of community
from the e-newsletters (newspaper content sent via e-mail) (Hoffman & Eveland 2010). Because
of the digital nature of e-newsletters, different types of connectedness will be explored as well.
Historically, local print newspapers have had the potential to build a community through
the use of credible sources, relatable content, and personalized delivery over a period of time.
Local newspapers contain stories, written by professional journalists, about events, news, and
other issues of concern to individuals residing within a specific geographic community. Through
these basic functions, they set agendas for public policy debates, encourage economic growth
and commerce, and function as a watchdog for democracy (Abernathy 2018).
However, with the onset of the digital age, the way individuals and organizations gather
and distribute news has changed. Recent research has shown that over the past 15 years, onefourth of all U.S. community newspapers have been closed or merged, and newspaper staff and
resources have diminished to the point that they can no longer adequately service their
community (Abernathy, 2018). Now, roughly 84% of Americans look to television, radio, news
websites and social media to find their news (Pew Research Center (2019). This is almost
certainly due to the speed and accessibility of these news sources. However, that convenience is
often at the expense of a sense of community. Increased focus on national news, biased sources,
and impersonal delivery are a few effects of the decline of local newspapers that could affect an
individual’s overall sense of trust and belonging in their community (Abernathy 2018).
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One way some people receive news now is through social media. Social media has
received accolades in creating connectedness because of its ability for individuals to engage with
each other and share interesting and relevant content. However, social media use is accompanied
by a significant risk for fake news and feelings of disconnection on the platforms (Allen, Ryan,
Gray, McInerney, & Waters, 2014). E-newsletters, on the other hand, have gained popularity as
they integrate local news with digital delivery as seen with success of the Skimm (Marketing
News, 2016). Although there is minimal research on the relationship between community and enewsletters, Jackson & Lilleker (2009) suggest that e-newsletters have the potential to foster
community participation. Additionally, Kim, Forquer, Rsuko, Hornik and Cappella (2016) found
that the voice of an e-newsletter can affect a reader’s attention and motivation. Altogether, enewsletters typically differ from local newspapers and social media by factors including
organization of content, voice, delivery mode, and level of engagement. It will be interesting to
see whether these variables can increase an individual’s feelings of community.
Overall, the purpose of this thesis is twofold: to understand how two variations of enewsletters satisfy individuals’ fundamental need to belong and to determine whether each
variation of the e-newsletter is capable of replicating a print newspaper’s sense of community.
Additionally, the question of whether this sense of community can create monetary benefits for
the newspaper will be answered. My hypothesis is that as print newspapers increasingly become
obsolete, e-newsletters can be developed to serve a new generation and help to save community
journalism.
Literature Review
Background on Basic Human Needs
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To stress the importance of the matter and to understand the underlying motives for
community building, the basic human needs are analyzed. Abraham Maslow’s theory of
psychological health suggests that people have 5 basic needs to survive; these needs are arranged
hierarchically. They are: physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, and selfactualization needs (Armstrong & Philip, 2017, p.146). One reason the changing media
landscape is worthy of study is because it has the ability to satisfy all of these needs quickly and
with minimal effort. Media technology allows a person to order a pizza online for 30-minute
delivery, a car to automatically call 911 when it’s been involved in an accident, and friends
throughout the world to share their status with a simple click on Facebook (Waclawsky, 2007, p.
36-37). At first glance, it might appear people can have everything they need, when they need it,
but it can be argued that digital media speeds the process while neglecting some of the basic
human needs – especially social and esteem needs.
Social needs are defined as the need to have a sense of belonging and love (Armstrong &
Philip, 2017, p.146). These needs can be met through friendship, intimacy, trust, acceptance, and
being a part of group (McLeod, 2018). On the other hand, esteem needs are defined as the need
to be recognized and have status among peers (Armstrong & Philip, 2017, p.146). Achievement,
independence, and respect from others are some of the ways that esteem needs are satisfied
(McLeod, 2018). Over an extended period of time, people frame their decisions and shape their
actions in an effort to satisfy their needs. Once they feel that they are satisfied, their motivation
declines and they move onto satisfying the next level of need in Maslow’s Hierarchy.
Newspapers’ Role in Satisfying Social and Esteem Needs
Newspapers can satisfy social and esteem needs by cultivating a sense of belonging
through the combination of the physicality, delivery and content. These are specific attributes
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that can differentiate newspapers from digital media platforms. When trust and a sense of
belonging is established, the potential for a sense of community to develop is greater.
Newspapers and trust.
The obvious difference between newspapers and digital platforms is the medium in which
the information is displayed, however there are also differences in how the information is
collected and shared. This is important for a multitude of reasons. First, newspaper companies
are held to a different standard than other businesses and individuals with regard to the
dissemination of information. The press has the responsibility to ensure that the information
released is accurate and unbiased, whereas for-profit businesses and individuals have license to
voice their own opinions and perspectives. These constitutional rights and the onset of the digital
age has brought about the concept of citizen-journalists. Both professional journalists and
citizens have access to technological tools to spread information widely. The difference is that
professional journalists have the training and tenacity to ensure the accuracy of their news
stories, whereas citizen-journalists do not (Abernathy 2014). This creates a greater potential to
spread disinformation (“fake news”) to multitudes of people.
In addition to the growth of inaccurate news, the amount of information provided to the
public is declining. The Pew Research Center (2019) reported that in 2013 newsroom staffing
levels had decreased by one-third since the year 2000. As a result, sports, weather, and traffic
now account for 40 percent of total air time on local television newscasts (Abernathy, 2007, p.
19). This means that people are missing out on important news related to local politics, crime,
and other topics necessary for the safety and well-being of the community.
Overall, without accurate and complete news, communities face potentially serious
problems including: government waste, more local corruption, less effective schools, and other
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issues, according to Penelope Abernathy, a former executive with well-known newspapers and a
current Knight Chair in journalism and digital media economics at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill (2007). A North Carolina state legislator once said “I trust the editors at
the paper—more than any other source—to tell me what is just below the surface that I might
have missed. They tie it together and tell me whether it is really an issue or personal beef of
some blogger” (Abernathy, 2007, p. 24).
Newspapers and a sense of belonging.
Aside from print newspapers ability to develop trustworthy news for their audience, there are
other attributes to a newspaper that help to establish a sense of belonging. From a sociology
perspective, belonging is the innate human desire to be a part of something larger than a single
individual. Although, actively trying to fit in and seek approval appear to be the right course of
action to achieve belonging, it often is a barrier to it (Brown 2017). There are multiple
components of this definition that support the importance of newspapers in satisfying basic
needs.
First off, the delivery of a newspaper requires no effort on behalf of the individual. Someone
provides the newspaper to the subscriber, rather than this individual having to log on to a
platform to be recognized. The physical location in the community made them a part of
something larger and initiated a sense of belonging. After repeated days of the newspaper being
delivered, the sense of belonging can be amplified. By reading, the individual may start to know
what is going on in one’s community and possibly may become involved in the events listed in
the paper. In this situation, there are no attempts to fit in or be accepted into the community
because he or she is already physically there. This materiality component of a print newspaper
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has been proven to be a significant factor in the creation and maintenance of meaningful
communities.
For instance, in a study with the Arizona Republic, a local newspaper servicing Maricopa
County, Arizona, Mersey (2009) argues that the print version of the newspaper fosters a
significant sense of community among readers, whereas the newspaper’s website, does not.
Mersey uses a definition from McMillan and Ghavis (1986) that says a sense of community is a
feeling that members belong, matter to one another, and have a shared faith that members’ needs
will be met through their commitment to be together. Through the study, she found that
individuals with a heightened sense of community were regular print newspaper readers and vice
versa. (Mersey, 2009) The importance of materiality and place are supported by additional
scholars who also have unique perspectives on how newspapers establish community.
Scholarly Views on Developing Community News
First off, throughout history and different disciplines there have been many variations in
the definition of community. Anderson, Dardenne, and Killenberg (1994) explain the key
characteristic of community is physical proximity. Ferrara (1997) says the concern for a common
good is the relevant feature for a community. Putnam (2000) describes community as the
connection between family, friends, neighbors, and social structures. Jeffres, Atkin, & Neuendorf
(2002) say there is not a singular correct definition of a sense of community, however all of these
scholar’s definitions imply that community establishes a sense of belonging either by
identification, feeling of attachment, or both.
In a research study assessing causality in the relationship between community attachment
and local news media use, Hoffman and Eveland (2010) found that there is no evidence to
support a causal relationship between community attachment, defined as “identification with the
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community combined with an affective tie” (Rothenbuhler, Mullen, DeLaurell and Ryu, 1996, p.
447) and local news media use. Even though one does not cause another, local media use does
strengthen attachment to the community. According to Mersey (2010), Professor Keith Stamm
has declared the most definitive theoretical model of the relationship between newspapers and
communities. Stamm’s concept explains that those who read their community newspaper are
likely to be connected to their community and vice versa (Stamm 1988). Although, Stamm
(1988) bases this community off of place, process or structure, there is research that shows how
newspapers can create other types of communities.
Penelope Abernathy supports Stamm in that newspapers can strengthen geographic
communities, but also explains that newspapers can also create communities built around shared
passions and affiliations. Abernathy (2014) quotes, “Newspapers in the digital age need to think
of themselves as the glue that binds multiple communities to one another” (p. 67). Through new
technologies, newspapers can reach old and new audiences. For instance, online platforms can
build on topics already covered in the print edition to build a more vibrant and loyal community.
This is important in preserving the prevalence and quality of local news, given the swiftly
declining state of the newspaper industry.
Current State of Community Newspapers
As mentioned previously, the rise of the internet and other digital technologies have
changed the way people gather and receive news. Overall, more than one fourth of local
newspapers have closed over the last decade and a half, and print readers are disappearing at an
even faster rate with total U.S. circulation declining by 49 million since 2004 (Abernathy, 2018,
p.8-14). This disruption in the industry not only has consequences for citizens in smaller
communities, but also local newspaper businesses.
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Due to the decline in advertising and circulation revenue for print newspapers, as seen
above, local newspaper companies have been forced to close, cut newsroom staff, and tailor
newspaper content to what readers want, rather than focusing more on what they need to see to
be up to date with current events (Abernathy, 2018). According to a Forbes article (2019), Cohan
shared that the newspaper industry is famously terrible and industry revenue is expected to fall
over the next five years by an annualized rate 4.3%. This expectation is logical because majority
of the revenue newspaper companies produce typically come from advertising and circulation
(Abernathy, 2019). Because businesses are now looking to digital platforms, such as Google and
Facebook, to advertise with and subscribers are finding their news elsewhere, many newspaper
companies have to cut costs to make a profit (Cohan, 2019).
Recently, the two largest newspaper conglomerates in the United States, Gannett and
Gatehouse, merged into one company named, Gannett Co., Inc (Cohen, 2019). Mike Reed is the
CEO of Gannett Co., Inc and in order to make the company profitable one day, he plans to cut
hundreds of millions of dollars in costs (Cohan, 2019). For the last ten years, Reed’s strategy has
been to scale and consolidate the newspaper industry (Abernathy, 2018), so his plan to cut costs
is not surprising, but can be ineffective. If too many assets are cut, the company may not have
enough resources to successfully produce new revenue streams and reclaim past subscribers that
have switched to online sources for news.
Additionally, part of the plan for many newspaper companies, is to increase their digital
presence. They create a website and a digital edition (e-edition) of the newspaper to allow for
people to search for and read local news online. According to research from the Pew Research
Center (2019), roughly eight out of ten Americans that get local news online say an easy-to-use
website is in important feature for local news sources. Additionally, this allows for newspapers’
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revenues to come from digital advertisements and digital subscribers. According to McClatchy’s,
an American publishing company, most recent third quarter earnings, digital advertising
revenues made up 46.8% of total advertising revenues. McClatchy’s total revenues decreased by
17.7% from the previous year’s third quarter strictly due to the fall in print advertising revenues.
Additionally, subscribers of the digital only platform increased by 45.4% from the previous
year’s third quarter. It appears that there is interest from individuals in online newspapers,
however there is not enough revenue to support the addition. Although this is just one example
of a company of local newspapers transitioning into the digital space to combat dropping print
advertising revenues, many other newspaper companies are attempting the same strategy.
Research on Other Sources for Local News
Outside of print newspapers and e-editions, research, by the Pew Research Center (2018),
shows that individuals are mainly receiving their news digitally from television, online
platforms, and the radio. Over the past 3 years, the number of adults in the U.S. who get news
from television has decreased from 57% to 49%, whereas readers of news websites and social
media has increased from a total of 46% to a total of 53% (Pew Research Center, 2018). There
are many differences between these sources and newspapers, including the type of content
produced and potential development in feelings of trust and belonging.
For instance, research has found that TV news stations have the potential to discourage a
desire to belong. In a study analyzing the roles of different news media use in political
participation, it was found that there was less political participation after viewing news on
television, but there was more participation after consuming news from a newspaper, radio or
social media (Ahmed & Cho, 2019). Participation or engagement can be a way for a sense of
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belonging to be developed, particularly online. Various studies on social media have shown this,
but have also explored potential pitfalls of engagement online.
Scholarly Literature on the Connection Between Social Media and a Sense of Belonging
Social media has been an increasingly popular platform where people consume their
news, but also a platform that fosters community. Allen, Ryan, Gray, McInerney, and Waters
(2014) published an article recognizing both the positives and potential pitfalls of social media in
creating connectedness. These scholars have defined a sense of social connection or relatedness
as “the establishment of close bonds and secure attachments with others, reflecting the desire to
be emotionally connected to and interpersonally involved in warm, caring relationships” (Allen
et al., 2014, p.19). Research suggests that social media might support a sense of belonging by
way of allowing adolescents to stay in touch and receive validation from their peers. The results
of the study indicated that lonely students were more likely than non-lonely students to admit
that they communicated online to feel like they belonged in a group (Allen et al., 2014).
However, it is possible that social media can also threaten an individual’s sense of belonging. It
can cause people to feel social isolation, disconnection and ostracism. The term,
“cyberostracism”, describes the sense of exclusion that can occur on online social environments
(Allen et al., 2014, p.22).
Similarly, Iannone, McCarty, Branch & Kelly (2018) studied Twitter and chronic
ostracism and found that people who feel ostracized for long periods of time tend to log on to
Twitter more often to engage in social interaction and satisfy their need to belong or need to be
included. However, the study does not indicate whether these Twitter behaviors succeeds in
making them feel a sense of belonging. Additionally, it is important to consider the limitations to
this study by Iannone et al. For example, the researchers suggest that merely staying in touch
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with others is enough to foster a sense of belonging. Furthermore, the study’s participants were
limited to adolescents who use social media.
Other research also suggests that the motivations behind using social media, specifically
Facebook, effects an individual’s feelings of connection (Hoffman & Kang, 2017). In this study,
feelings of connectedness were derived from a subjective “feels right” sensation (Hoffman &
Kang 2017, p.4). The study focused on people who use Facebook because it is ideally what one
wants to do and those that feel they ought to out of a sense of duty or obligation. Once on social
media, individuals interact with the platform differently. Some are more eager and active,
whereas others are more vigilant and passive (Hoffman & Kang, 2017). Both the motivations to
use and the actions on social media link to how connected people feel. Hoffman and Kang
(2017) found that individuals who have a promotion focus and were eager felt more connection
with others. Additionally, those who had more vigilant social media behaviors and were
motivated by obligation, also had potential for stronger feelings of connection, although due to
different factors. Thus, it appears that preconceived mentalities play a significant part in whether
people find belonging on social media platforms.
Throughout this review, a sense of belonging and connectedness have been used
interchangeably. However, a study by Milbourne and Wilkinson (2015) distinguished between
the two terms and outlines different types of connectedness. In the digital age, connectedness
was first defined in terms of the digital divide between those with and without access to the
Internet. Now that majority of Americans use the Internet and there are different types of digital
communication, the definition has expanded to include additional dimensions relating to
connections online (Milbourne & Wilkinson, 2015). There is psychological connectedness
(emotional closeness with websites/brands), embedded connectedness (emotional closeness with
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larger virtual networks), and cyber-social connectedness (connections built through
texting/emailing) (Milbourne & Wilkinson, 2015). These types of connectedness exhibit three
characteristics: accessibility, immediacy, and perceived intimacy (Milbourne & Wilkinson,
2015). Milbourne and Wilkinson (2015) note that “many forms of communication are a ‘click
away’ (accessibility), the social media is always on 24/7 (immediacy), and personal information
is now accessible to peripheral friends (perceived intimacy)” (p.3). This is what separates the
terms connectedness and a sense of belonging. As mentioned previously, actively trying to fit in
or seek approval is often a barrier to acquiring a sense of belonging. Achieving belonging takes
time and effort.
Moreover, Milbourne and Wilkinson (2015) introduce a concept related to
connectedness: disconnectedness. This is not defined by the authors as being absent online, but
instead a consequence of dependence on communication devices. Oftentimes, people use social
media because of a fear of missing out rather than to connect with people. “Nomophobia” has
been termed as the fear of being without one’s mobile phone and is a legitimate concern among
individuals in the digital age (Milbourne & Wilkinson, 2015). Overall, Milbourne and Wilkinson
(2015) found that the more a person uses social media to connect with others, the greater the
potential distress at becoming disconnected. Connectedness is stimulated through the use of
social media, and one must feel connectedness in order to experience disconnectedness. This is a
good example of how social media can develop connection that is different from a sense of
belonging, and, conversely, can cause a negative feeling of disconnection.
Scholarly Literature on the Connection Between E-Newsletters and Sense of Belonging
Similar to the digital nature of social media platforms are e-newsletters. E-newsletters are
newsletters that are delivered via e-mail. The content in e-newsletters typically replicate articles
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one might find from other news sources. Usually, companies will create e-newsletters as way to
share information or as a marketing tool to raise awareness for products or candidates. Enewsletters are a great disseminator because they are easier and quicker to produce than a
newspaper. Also, because of the digital medium, e-newsletters allow readers to communicate
with the writers and provide instant feedback. Through this, e-newsletters can increase
engagement and help build relationships among editor and subscribers, which can bring a sense
of community and establish a loyal subscriber base (Jackson & Lilleker, 2009).
The Skimm is a daily e-newsletter that has an active membership of 3.5 million
subscribers since launching in 2012 (Marketing News, 2016). The Skimm’s value proposition
that makes the e-newsletter different from others is its unique brand voice and its user
community (Marketing News, 2016). Although it is undetermined whether all subscribers of the
Skimm feel a sense of belonging, the development of the Skimm’s super fan group and the
millions of subscribers allow for the conclusion that subscribers feel a strong connection,
specifically psychological connectedness, with the e-newsletter. The connection stems from the
distinct style of storytelling that reflects how the target audience communicates and from the way
the newsletter is delivered through email (Marketing News, 2016).
A research study done on the role of headline features in the choice of health newsletter
articles supports the Skimm’s findings in that people will read more information depending on
the content and context of the news. Overall, the study by Kim, Forquer, Rsuko, Hornik and
Cappella (2016) emphasized the growth of selective communication behavior. Individuals have a
high level of control over what they want to read and know, therefore it is interesting to discover
what initiates people to read more. It was found that when the e-newsletter headlines provided
efficacy-signaling information in an imperative voice and when they used a moderate number of
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negative emotion words, there was more interest in the headline (Kim et al., 2016). The voice in
which information is written is extremely important in maintaining a reader’s attention and it
allows them to connect more with the content.
Additionally, data from a study on the uses and gratifications of political parties’ enewsletters suggested that e-newsletters are able to encourage subscribers to develop and build
relationships with a political party and possibly even encourage more party participation
(Jackson & Lilleker, 2009). While majority of the readers of the e-newsletter were committed
party members that use the information for their campaigning, there was a group of subscribers
that used the e-newsletter to aid their voter choice. Ultimately, material from the e-newsletter has
little effect on undecided voters’ gratification. However, it appears that individuals that are
activists feel a closer association with the political party of their choice after reading the enewsletter (Jackson & Lilleker, 2009). This also relates back to how motivation for using social
media can play a significant part in whether people find belonging. If individuals have a desire to
belong to a community, then a sense of belonging may be easier to acquire.
Through the review of the previous studies, it appears that user engagement and relatable
content in e-newsletters and social media are factors, outside of geography and materiality, that
can help create connectedness because of the emotional closeness reader’s may be able feel.
There is question, however, if this emotional closeness satisfies the need for humans to belong
while providing reliable information like newspapers. According to the Pew Research Center
(2019), 57% of Americans that get news on social media, say they expect the news they see to be
mostly inaccurate. However, from the successful performance of the Skimm (Marketing News,
2016) and the research from Jackson & Lilleker (2009), it appears that there is a possibility for enewsletters to perform a print newspaper’s role in providing trustworthy news, while building a
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sense of belonging, online. This study will be important in analyzing whether this assumption is
true.
Method
Research Questions
To reiterate, this thesis analyzed the relationship between a sense of community and enewsletters. To do this, the study will answer the following research questions in the following
sections.
RQ1: What is the relationship between a sense of community and The Sway e-newsletter?
RQ2: What is the relationship between a sense of community and the The Pilot’s Briefing enewsletter?
RQ3: What are the variables that may explain the differences between the two e-newsletters in
regards to building a sense of community?
Survey Selection
This project utilized a survey to acquire quantitative data about subscribers to the The
Southern Pines (NC) Pilot. According to Gideon (2012), surveys are useful instruments to
measure concepts and behaviors based on a sample of cases and have been used throughout
history in a variety of disciplines. For instance, Mersey (2009) used a survey to provide definite
and quantifiable results to make conclusions about the relationship between local newspapers
and communities compared to the relationship between online news and communities.
Quantifiable results combined with ability to consistently question a large sample of individuals
makes this method a good match for my project.
The survey I conducted was similar to Mersey’s (2009), however it was an e-mail survey.
E-mail surveys are surveys in which a computer plays a major role in the recruitment of potential
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respondents, delivery, and the collection of data from actual respondents (Jansen, Corley, &
Jansen, 2006). Specifically, my survey was an online questionnaire embedded in two enewsletters operated by The Pilot and sent out to subscribers. It measured variables such as,
demographics, sense of community, satisfaction and loyalty. Overall, low costs, respondent
convenience, and time efficiency are major advantages of e-mail surveys, however there were
some issues regarding formatting and data collection. (Gideon 2012). In order to maximize
benefits and minimize potential problems, my survey design was cohesive and clear.
E-Newsletter Survey Design
A digital survey was sent out to all subscribers of the e-newsletters, the Sway and the
Pilot’s Briefing. Readers found the survey attached as a link at the top of each e-newsletter with
a brief explanation of what the survey is and the importance of responding. After clicking the
link, the survey appeared on a Qualtrics platform with a pre-notice letter explaining more fully
the purpose of the project. It also included information on what to expect in the survey. After
selecting a box indicating the individual’s agreement to take the survey, the individual clicked
“next” to start answering the first set of questions. There were various sets of questions
throughout the survey depending on the specific topic. After completion of the survey, a thank
you note appeared. Due to low response rates for web-based surveys (Gideon 2012), the survey
was sent out to all subscribers twice – once a week for two weeks. All data was collected
automatically from Qualtrics and sent to the Pilot for an initial reading. I then performed a
second reading to record and analyze the findings.
Background on Subject
The Pilot
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According to the Pilot’s website, the Pilot has grown over the last hundred years and was
named the Best Community Newspaper in the United States by the National Newspaper
Association from 2015 to 2017. The first issue was published in 1920 and now it has about
13,500 subscribers originally from Moore County, NC. The Pilot has created two e-newsletters
designed to reach the same geographic community and distribute similar news content through email or website. However, the two e-newsletters differ in tone and organization of content.
Because of these factors, the Pilot offers a natural environment for investigation on the effects of
layout and tone on a reader’s sense of belonging.
The Pilot’s e-newsletters
“The Sway is the friend you never knew you always needed” according to the Sway web
page. The free e-newsletter connects individuals to the Moore County community with important
news, business updates, giveaways, and fun events. Written with a casual and humorous voice,
they Sway gives readers fresh content, free stuff and laughs. The e-newsletters are sent out via
email twice a week, however, one can learn more and interact with the Sway on Instagram,
Facebook, and at community events. Additionally, on the Pilot’s website, individuals can
connect with the e-newsletter directly by submitting comments or questions.
On the contrary, the Pilot’s Briefing provides award-winning local news, direct to your
inbox, according to the Pilot’s Briefing web page. It is much less playful than the Sway and gets
straight to the point. There are no additional tabs besides the newsletter page and the content is
different. There are more articles focused on hard news, such as events, politics, and weather,
whereas the Sway has more entertainment and advice articles.
Moore County
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It is estimated Moore County had roughly over 100,000 residents and it is projected by
the year 2035, the population will grow to over 125,000, based on the 2010 population estimates
from the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the Moore Business website, Moore County
typically has been a popular retirement destination, with about 25% of the population being 65 or
older. However, there has been an increase in the number of people aged 20 to 45 due to Fort
Bragg’s active military base, business and employment opportunities, safe neighborhoods, and
good schools. About 80% of the population is white and the median household income is around
$55,000. This is important to know in order to recognize any potential variable that could skew
the results of the survey.
Survey Questions
See Appendix for a complete list of questions from each survey. The types of questions
vary from short answer, check all that may apply, and multiple choice. Additionally, the
questions were ordered to ensure clear understanding and to avoid prepping the participant to
answer questions a certain way.
Results
Demographics of E-Newsletter Subscribers
There were a total of 695 responses recorded from the Sway survey and 467 responses
recorded from the Briefing survey. There are a total of 15,000 subscribers to the Sway and
21,000 subscribers to the Briefing so the survey respondents represent 4.63% of Sway readers
and 2.22% of Briefing readers. The differences in response rate between the two e-newsletters
provides some insight. It is possible that Briefing readers feel less inclined to communicate with
the e-newsletter and develop a mutual relationship. Overall though, it appears that the subscriber
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groups are relatively similar. However, the data reveals minor differences that separates the
sample groups.
First off, Sway readers have a wider demographic with the number of 25-44 year olds
(38.25%) similar to the number of 55-74 year olds (42.47%). The Briefing readers appeared
older with 81.54% being over the age 55. This makes sense when considering that the Sway is
written by younger people and employs a more colloquial and relaxed tone. Majority of readers
for each e-newsletter are women. Specifically, 81.6% of Sway readers are females and 63.44%
of Briefing readers are females. Additionally, 46.43% of Sway readers and 47.38% of Briefing
readers reported an annual household income above $100,000. These demographics are not
representative of the Moore County population, thereby showing a more specific target
population the Pilot is reaching.
Overall, 66.3% of Sway readers and 79.96% of Briefing readers have lived in the
community for more than 5 years, but the reasons for living there differ. In the comments
section, people have declared that they live in Moore County simply because (s)he wants to live
there or (s)he no longer even lives in Moore County, but still read the e-newsletter. This would
have prompted readers to choose “Other” when asked “Which of the statements best describes
your relationship to this community”. 38.51% of Briefing readers and 36.54% of Sway readers,
the majority for both of these groups, selected this option. Furthermore, 31% of Sway readers
claimed they transferred into Moore County as opposed to 12.7% of Briefing readers, but
33.92% of Briefing readers retired here, as opposed to 20.23% of Sway readers. The military is a
possible reason for why people transferred here as 33.59% of Sway readers and 23.71% of
Briefing readers are affiliated with the military.
News and E-newsletter Subscribers
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Subscribers read a lot of news
As mentioned, the Pilot offers subscribers different platforms to get their news from.
There is the print newspaper, the e-edition of the newspaper, and the two different e-newsletters.
Rather than only choosing one platform to get news from, 55.4% of Briefing readers read the
newspaper, e-edition, and e-newsletter and 31.63% of Sway readers read all three as well. This is
interesting because it appears that Briefing readers read more news than Sway readers with only
4.81% of Briefing readers reading the e-newsletter alone. Additionally, as stated above, most
Sway and Briefing readers (about 70%) read both e-newsletters. The data suggests that the
reason this percentage is not higher is because they have not heard about the other e-newsletter.
Specifically, 53.37% of Sway readers and 65.63% of Briefing readers do not read the other enewsletter simply because they have not heard of the other. It is possible that if people knew
about the other e-newsletters, they would be inclined to read it.
Also, it is interesting to note that readers consume news outside of the Pilot’s platforms
as well. Through a short answer question, subscribers of the Sway and Briefing said that they
stay informed through social media platforms, word of mouth, community events, radio,
magazines, and others. The numerous avenues to receive news could be a factor in why most
people do not want to pay for the e-newsletters. 77.35% of Sway readers and 79.17% of Briefing
readers reported that they would not be willing to pay anything for either of the e-newsletters. In
a comments section, people discussed how they already pay for the Pilot newspaper so they can’t
justify paying for the e-newsletter.
Subscribers and community
Out of a list of nine choices, “I want to be informed about my community” was the most
chosen response by Sway (26.85%) and Briefing readers (32.26%). This response was not
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surprising given that people are motivated to read news to find out new information. However, it
was interesting to discover that there were two major differences between the Sway and Briefing
readers. 20.66% of Sway readers indicated that they read the Sway to be entertained, as opposed
to only 6.74% of Briefing readers. Additionally, 15.13% of Briefing readers indicated that they
read the Briefing because they have always read the news, as opposed to 5.17% of Sway readers.
The motivation behind the two samples of readers becomes more clear through this data. It
appears that the Briefing readers feel a greater sense of loyalty because reading the news has
become a habit, whereas the Sway readers are attracted to a quick moment of enjoyment from
the news.
I found another insight that supported this finding when I asked readers how they found
out about the e-newsletter in a short answer question. The top 3 words reported by Sway readers
were “friend, e-mail, pilot”. The top 3 words reported by Briefing readers were “e-mail, pilot,
online”. Overall, it appeared that most Sway readers heard about the e-newsletter because a
friend told them about it or through social media and most Briefing readers reported that they
had just started receiving the e-newsletter in their inbox randomly one day. This was proven
through asking subscribers “how likely are you to recommend the Sway/Briefing to a friend?”.
People were asked to choose a number between 1 and 10 – 1 being not likely at all and 10 being
extremely likely. The t-value was calculated as 1.6375E-10, making the result statistically
significant. Sway readers are more likely to recommend the e-newsletter to a friend than Briefing
readers, however this may not indicate a sense of community in Sway readers. Even though most
Sway readers started reading the Sway based on the human connection, only 2.31% of readers
reported that they read it because their friends read it. It appears that the e-newsletter does not
foster relationships but rather is passed along to friends just to share the enjoyment.
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Both Sway and Briefing readers think the the amount of content they are currently
receiving is perfect. 89% of Sway readers reported that they would not like to read about
anything else and 51% of Briefing readers reported that they do not want any more content
because they prefer the e-newsletter to be brief. If there were to be more content, 15.13% of
Briefing readers suggested adding features about clubs and local activities. Similarly, in an open
ended response, Sway readers suggested more content about local events and news and more
highlights for people and places in the community. In a world where news outlets are saturated
with national news, it is interesting that there is a demand for more local news. Perhaps this
suggests a desire for a greater sense of community, whether it is motivated out of interest,
enjoyment or tradition.
Descriptive Analysis of a Sense of Community
To understand sentiments towards community, subscribers of both e-newsletters were
asked to respond with what word or words come to mind when he or she thinks of the
community. The top words from Sway readers were “friendly, small, town”. The top words from
Briefing readers were “friendly, peaceful, safe”. Overall, it appeared that both groups enjoyed
living in their community as they associated it with positive attributes. When looking deeper at
the top ten words and full list of words used by each subscriber group, differences between the enewsletters start to emerge. More Briefing readers use the word “community” over “town” than
Sway readers, however Sway readers use the words “home” and “family” more than Briefing
readers. It is not conclusive to say that one group of readers feels more closely to their
community than the other since most respondents in both groups show enjoyment and some
attachment to where they are living.
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Later in the survey, subscribers of both e-newsletters were asked to relay what word or
words came to mind when he or she thinks about the e-newsletter. The intent of the question was
to analyze the sentiments of the subscribers and whether these sentiments resembled how they
felt about their community. The three top words reported by Sway readers were “informed, fun
and funny”. The three top words reported by Briefing readers were “informed, read, and new”. In
this instance, there is a clear difference between the attitudes of Briefing and Sway readers
towards the respective e-newsletter. The Sway achieves its mission in providing news in a
humorous and entertaining way as many readers regarded it as clever and witty. As I looked at
the top ten words most used by Briefing readers, I found that words describing the shortness of
the e-newsletter, such as concise, brief, and quick, were commonly reported. Neither of the
groups show a deeper connection or sense of belonging in regards to the e-newsletters.
Inferential Analysis of a Sense of Community
Both Sway and Briefing readers were asked if they attend the events listed in the enewsletter. The options they could choose from were as follows: “always”, “most of the time”,
“about half the time”, “sometimes”, and “never”. On a scale of 1 to 5, “always” was classified as
a 1and “never” was classified as a 5. The mean calculated from the Sway survey was 3.81 and
the mean from the Briefing survey was 3.89. With P being less than or equal to 0.5, the t-score of
2.01664 was deemed not statistically significant – Sway readers are not more likely to attend
events than Briefing readers. About 75% of Sway and Briefing readers “sometimes” attend
events that they found through the e-newsletter.
Additionally, both Sway and Briefing readers were specifically asked whether he or she
felt closer to their community after reading the e-newsletter. Readers had the option to choose
“definitely yes”, “probably yes”, “might or might not”, “probably not” or “definitely not”. On a
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scale of 1 to 5, “definitely yes” was classified as a 1 and “definitely no” was classified as a 5.
The mean from the Sway survey was 2.04 and the mean from the Briefing survey was 1.97. With
a t-value of 0.11964, it is statistically significant that the Briefing readers feel more closely to
their community than Sway readers. This was surprising because I had hypothesized that Sway
readers would feel more close with their community. In the following discussion, I will seek to
explain why results showed the opposite.
Discussion
Although both Sway and Briefing readers share commonalities, it is clear that there are
two different populations with unique characteristics. In summary, Briefing readers are likely to
be older and live in the community because they have retired there. They consume more news as
they read the print newspaper, e-edition, and both e-newsletters. The brevity of the e-newsletter
is attractive to readers and they generally enjoy living in their community. The reason I assume
that these readers feel closer to their community after reading the Briefing is because they have
the initial desire to feel closer. These readers think the information in the e-newsletter relates to
them and affects their life so they place value and importance on it over time. These readers are
intentional in being knowledgeable about their community so, as a result, they feel closer to the
community. The significance of the news, in relation to their life, is what may differ for Sway
readers. Rather than the intrinsic desire to know and belong to their community, they would
rather be entertained for a moment. It was interesting to discover that positive feelings, such as
those induced by comedy or enjoyment, did not always lead to a stronger sense of belonging.
On the other hand, it is important to note that Briefing readers may feel closer to their
community because they have lived in the county longer and are an older demographic. Based on
the culture these readers grew up in, there could have been greater emphasis on the importance
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of reading the newspaper and belonging to geographic communities. Now there are different
places to find communities, which may more strongly appeal to a younger demographic.
Additionally, recent generations may not understand the value of local news.
Creating Value from Targeted Samples
Sample Population of Those Willing to Pay for E-newsletter
Characteristics That Appeared Not Influential on Willingness to Pay
Overall, there are benefits outside of satisfying innate needs when creating a sense of
community. Local newspapers can foster a sense of community in their target audience to
increase loyalty and revenue. To argue that fostering a sense of community is beneficial for
creating a profitable newspaper, I analyzed different variables to see if there was any effect on
people’s willingness to pay for the e-newsletter. First off, I assumed that if a reader had a higher
household income, that (s)he would be more willing to pay. However, I found that this is not the
true. Of those that reported household income above $100K, 77% would not pay for the enewsletter. This is not different from the total sample population, as about 78% reported they
would not be willing to pay. Next, I assumed that the people who did not read other sources of
news, such as the print newspaper, would be more willing to pay because they don’t already pay
a subscription fee for any other source of news. However, I found that out of those that have a
willingness to pay, about 57% of Briefing readers read both the e-edition and the print newspaper
and 29% of Sway readers read both, which almost matched the total sample population as 55%
of Briefing readers and 32% of Sway readers read both. Similarly, age did not have an impact on
who would be more likely to pay. Out of those willing to pay, Sway readers, aged 25 – 34, and
Briefing readers, aged 64 – 75, showed the highest percentage. Because these percentages reflect
the total sample population, it most likely means that there were more 25 – 34 year olds that took
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the Sway survey and more 64 – 75 year olds that took the Briefing survey – not that this age
group is more willing to pay than other ages.
Characteristics That Appeared Influential on Willingness to Pay
The two variables that showed an impact on willingness to pay were “a feeling of
closeness to their community after reading the e-newsletter” and “attendance to events they find
in the e-newsletter”. I found that people who are willing to pay for the e-newsletter are those who
also reported that they feel closer to their community. Overall, 33% of Sway readers definitely
feel closer to their community after reading the e-newsletter, but out of those who would be
willing to pay some amount, 53% of respondents definitely feel closer to their community after
reading. Likewise, 39% of total Briefing readers felt definitely closer to their community after
reading, but out of those who would be willing to pay some amount, 56% of respondents
definitely feel closer to their community after reading. The differences in percentage points
suggest that if the e-newsletter fostered a sense of belonging, then people would pay for the enewsletter. Additionally, people that pay for the e-newsletter are more likely to attend events.
21% of Briefing readers that are willing to pay, also reported that they attend events about “half
the time” and only 1% of Briefing readers that would be willing to pay “never” attend events.
This is opposed to only 10% of the total sample population that say they attend events “half the
time” and 9% that “never” attend events. Similarly, 10% of Sway readers that are willing to pay
reported that they attend listed events “most of the time” and 2% “never” attend events. In
contrast, 5% of the total sample population of Sway readers reported attending events “most of
the time” and 6% reported “never” attending. It is possible that if the e-newsletter advertised
more events that readers could attend, more people would be willing to pay for the e-newsletter.
Sample Population That Feels a Sense of Community
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Commonalities Between Sway and Briefing Readers
It is important to know the characteristics of the people who feel definitely close to their
community because they are the people who are most willing to pay for the e-newsletter and it is
possible to discover ways to instill these characteristics in other people so they feel closer to the
community. The time lived in Moore County and the age of both Sway and Briefing readers that
definitely feel closer to their community after reading the e-newsletter did not differ from the
total sample populations as the percentages for each aligned. However, the variable that was
different from the total sample population for both the Sway and Briefing readers was the
likelihood that the reader would recommend the e-newsletter to a friend. 74% of Briefing readers
that feel a sense of community would promote the e-newsletter as opposed to only 50% of the
total sample population. Additionally, 91% of Sway readers that feel a sense of community
would promote the e-newsletter as opposed to only 67% of the total sample population. This
suggests that readers are more likely to recommend the e-newsletter to a friend, if they feel
closer to their community after reading the e-newsletter.
Differences Between Sway and Briefing Readers
There are also some factors that affect the Sway and Briefing readers that feel close to
their community differently. For instance, it appeared that females were more likely to feel more
closely to the community after reading the Briefing. 71% of Briefing readers that felt closer to
the community after reading were females, whereas only 63% of the total sample population for
the Briefing reported being a female. On the other hand, it appeared as if readers were more
likely to attend events if they felt closer to the community after reading the Sway. 5% of total
sample population for the Sway reported that they attended events “most of the time” and 12%
reported that they attended “half of the time”. However, 14% of Sway readers that felt closer to
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their community reported that they attended events “most of the time” and 18% attended “half of
the time”. It is possible that if you foster a sense of belonging in Sway readers, then they will be
more likely to attend events.
Sample Population of Those That Always and Most of the Time Attend Events
Another population I decided to dive deeper into was Sway and Briefing readers that
reported that they always or most of the time attended events that they found in the e-newsletter.
This is helpful to know when selling advertising space to businesses in the community. If there
are specific characteristics unique to those that attend events, then businesses can more narrowly
target those individuals through the e-newsletter. Through my analysis, I found that the people
that attend events are very different from the total sample population. Some of the characteristics
the Briefing and Sway readers share, while there are some characteristics that the two groups
differ between.
Commonalities Between Sway and Briefing Readers
Females, individuals with higher household income, and those newer to the community are
more prevalent among those that attend events than the total sample population. Out of the
Briefing readers that attend events, 74% are females, whereas only 63% of the total Briefing
sample population are females. Likewise, out of the Sway readers that attend events, 90% are
females, whereas only 82% of the total Sway sample population are females. On the other hand,
out of the Briefing readers that attend events, 60% reported a household income greater than
$100,000, whereas only 47% of the total Briefing population recorded a household income
greater than $100,000. Out of the Sway readers that attend events, 58% reported a household
income greater than $100,000, whereas only 46% of the total Sway population recorded a
household income greater than $100,000. Lastly, out of the Briefing readers that attend events,
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70% have lived in the area for more than 5 years and 5% have lived in the area for less than a
year. This is different from the total Briefing population because 80% of the total have lived
there for more than 5 years and only 2% have lived there for less than a year. Out of the Sway
readers that attend events, 48% have lived in the area for more than 5 years and 15% have lived
in the area for less than a year as opposed to the total Sway population in which 66% have lived
there for more than 5 years and only 6% have lived there for less than a year. Overall, this data
suggests that if a company wants to be the most efficient in reaching the population that is most
likely to attend events, they should tailor their advertisements towards women, higher income
individuals, and to those that are newer to the community.
Difference Between Sway and Briefing Readers
Briefing readers that attend events are older than the total Briefing sample population and
Sway readers that attend events are younger than the total Sway sample population. There were
no Briefing readers that attend events under the age of 45 as opposed to the 9% of the total
Briefing population that are younger than 45. Additionally, 47% of Briefing readers reported
being 65 to 74 years old, whereas only 36% the total Briefing population are aged 65 to 74 years
old. In contrast, 40% of Sway readers that attend events are between the ages 25 and 34, whereas
only 20% of the total Sway sample population are between the ages 25 and 34. If a business
wants to reach millennials then they should advertise in the Sway, but if they want to reach an
older population it is better to advertise in the Briefing with ads designed to attract that specific
age group.
Guidance to Newspaper Based Off Findings
Based off the findings in my study, there are clear ways a newspaper can earn more revenue
by charging for the e-newsletter and through selling advertisements. It would be best to start by
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organizing the local news in an easy-to-read way. A relatable tone attracts people to begin
reading the news, as seen through more people recommending the Sway to others than the
Briefing. Next, I would suggest explaining the importance of local news to people in the
community and how the news relates to them in each e-newsletter. Although this may seem
trivial, showing people why news is a need in their life will increase an intrinsic desire to stay
informed about their community through this platform. One way to do this, as suggested by
respondents of the survey, is to include more local news about events and organizations in the
community. By making people want to be a part of the community, they will more likely read the
news, recommend it to a friend, and attend events. Not only will this increase readership,
businesses will want to advertise more in the e-newsletters. By targeting the main demographic
of the e-newsletters, who are also most likely to attend events, select businesses will have a
greater chance at reaching their intended audience in a more authentic way. Over time, reading
the news will become more habitual and attending events seen in the e-newsletter will become
more common.
Implications
There are few factors in this research study that have the possibility to sway conclusions
and should therefore be noted. First off, Moore County does not accurately represent the total
United States population. Because of the lack of diversity in the community, it is difficult to
apply the results found in this study to other newspapers. Additionally, because the sample
population from each survey is only a small percentage of the total Sway and Briefing reader
population, conclusions could have been slightly skewed by the people that chose to respond to
the survey. It is possible that the respondents do not accurately represent the total subscriber
population. Also, it was found through the survey that 71% of Sway readers and 70% of Briefing
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readers read both e-newsletters. Because the percentages are about the same, it is possible that
there is some overlap in responses because readers may have taken the survey twice. This could
lead to further misrepresentation of the total reader population.
Further Research
In order to strengthen the conclusions found through this survey, I would recommend
performing a similar survey with other e-newsletters that have different populations. In doing
this, it would be interesting to discover how variables such as, age, household income, and
gender, affect the generation of a sense of community through an e-newsletter. Additionally, I
would perform a different, but similar survey. There would be more multiple choice questions
with five answer choices to choose from, so more questions could be compared and confirmed
by a t-test. The survey would also have to be more broad and exclude questions that are specific
to Moore County, such as the questions about military and golf. Instead, I would add more
questions that would help to better understand how a sense of community is fostered and
maintained.
Appendix
The Pilot’s Briefing Survey Questions
1. How long have you lived in Moore County?
2. Which of the statements below best describes your relationship to this community?
3. What word or words come to mind when you think of your community?
4. Do you read The Pilot in print, online or both?
5. I prefer to get my local news:
6. You read The Pilot's Briefing, do you also read The Sway?
7. Why don't you read The Sway?
8. How did you hear about The Pilot's Briefing?
9. Why do you read The Pilot's Briefing? Check all that may apply.
10. How often do you attend events that you find through The Pilot's Briefing?
11. Do you feel closer to your community after reading The Pilot's Briefing?
12. The Pilot's Briefing is currently free and comes out twice a week on Tuesday and
Friday. Would you be willing to pay a monthly fee for The Pilot's Briefing?
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13. What frequency of The Pilot's Briefing do you prefer?
14. What word or words come to mind when you think of The Pilot's Briefing?
15. What other email newsletter subjects from The Pilot would interest you?
16. How likely are you to recommend The Pilot's Briefing to a friend? - Group
17. How likely are you to recommend The Pilot's Briefing to a friend?
18. How else do you stay informed about your community?
19. What is your age?
20. What is your gender?
21. What is your annual household income?
22. Are you or a family member affiliated with the military?
23. Is there anything else you would like us to know?
The Sway Survey Questions
1. How long have you lived in the Moore County community?
2. Which of the statements below best describes your relationship to this community?
3. What word or words come to mind when you think of your community?
4. Do you read The Pilot (print or e-edition)?
5. You read The Sway, do you also read The Pilot's Briefing?
6. Why don't you read The Pilot's Briefing?
7. How did you learn about The Sway?
8. Why do you read The Sway? Check all that may apply.
9. How often do you attend events that you find through The Sway?
10. Do you feel closer to your community after reading The Sway?
11. The Sway is currently free and comes out twice a week on Monday and Thursday.
Would you be willing to pay a monthly fee for The Sway?
12. What word or words come to mind when you think of The Sway?
13. Is there additional content you would like to read in The Sway?
14. What other content would you like to read about?
15. On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to recommend The Sway to a friend?
16. How else do you stay informed about your community?
17. What is your age?
18. What is your gender?
19. What is your annual household income?
20. Are you or a family member affiliated with the military?
21. Is there anything else you would like us to know?
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