From Listening to Action: Why Regional Convenings Matter
One of the key takeaways from the 2025 Press & Community convening was the desire for smaller, regional gatherings that allow communities to address local news challenges in a more focused and community-centered way. Because the needs and experiences of rural and urban communities vary across Arkansas, regional convenings provide an opportunity to explore solutions tailored to local circumstances while strengthening relationships between the press and the communities they serve.
Northwest Arkansas Regional Convening
On April 16, 2026, the Institute hosted its first regional Press and Community Convening at the Fayetteville Public Library. More than 30 participants — including journalists, educators, local government officials, nonprofit organizations, businesses, libraries, and community members — came together to discuss how the press and community can work collaboratively to strengthen local news, improve access to trusted information, and encourage civic participation.
During the convening, participants identified several significant barriers facing local news and information access. These included limited funding and resources for local media organizations, challenges in finding reliable local news, declining public trust in news sources, and gaps in media literacy. At the same time, attendees highlighted promising opportunities for collaboration, such as exploring alternative funding models for journalism, developing partnerships to support media literacy efforts, and creating centralized resources that make trusted local information easier to access.
The Northwest Arkansas convening marked the Institute’s first regional effort to better understand the unique opportunities and challenges facing local news ecosystems. The insights gathered helped inform the 2026 statewide Press & Community Convening and contributed to the development of four statewide focus areas.
The 2026 Statewide Convening
On June 12, 2026, we hosted our second statewide Press & Community Convening. After spending two years listening, gathering information, and engaging communities across Arkansas, the Institute brought together members of the press and community to begin identifying what could be built together.
Through Civic Arkansas listening sessions and both regional and statewide convenings, participants consistently expressed a desire for more trusted, local news. They identified familiar challenges, including limited resources for local media, difficulty accessing reliable information, declining trust in news, and gaps in media literacy. However, participants also demonstrated a strong readiness to act and collaborate on solutions.
The guiding question for the convening was: What can press and community partners build together to improve access to trusted local information and increase civic participation across Arkansas?
The programs team also identified four focus areas momentum and opportunity to address key barriers. These focus areas come from the ideas for action that have been generated at our previous convenings:
Exploring sustainable funding models and resource-sharing opportunities to support local journalism and ensure communities continue to have access to quality local reporting.
Creating opportunities for meaningful engagement and transparency that strengthen relationships between news organizations and the communities they serve.
Improving the visibility, accessibility, and distribution of trusted local information so more Arkansans can stay informed about issues affecting their communities.
Equipping community members with the skills needed to evaluate information, engage with local news, and participate more effectively in civic life.
Learning Together Through the World Café
The morning session featured a World Café, a structured and facilitated exercise designed to create a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities within each focus area. Participants learned from one another by sharing examples of successful work already underway while discussing obstacles and emerging possibilities.
Across four discussion rounds, participants explored:
- Current challenges facing local news and information ecosystems
- Areas of disconnect between the press and community
- Emerging momentum and promising practices
- Opportunities for future collaboration and innovation
These conversations helped participants identify common themes and build a foundation for collective action.
Developing Solutions Through Working Sessions
In the afternoon, participants divided into working sessions focused on each of the four priority areas. These sessions provided dedicated time for brainstorming, problem-solving, and developing practical ideas to address the challenges identified throughout the day.
The working sessions were designed to lay the groundwork for Institute-led working groups that will include equal representation from members of the press and the community. These groups will collaborate on advancing solutions and turning ideas into action.
Looking Ahead: Turning Ideas into Impact
The convening concluded with a survey that allowed participants to identify their intended next steps. One of the primary opportunities moving forward is participation in Institute-led working groups focused on the four priority areas. We will continue developing these groups and connecting interested members of the press and community to help move this work forward.
Together, the regional and statewide convenings represent an important shift from listening and learning toward collaboration and action. By bringing diverse voices together, identifying shared priorities, and creating pathways for ongoing partnership, the Institute is helping build a stronger ecosystem for trusted local news and civic participation across Arkansas.
Interested in attending future Civic Arkansas convenings or have questions about our Civic Arkansas program? Reach out to programs@rockefellerinstitute.org.
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