On August 1, 2025, the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute hosted the Press and Community Convening, bringing together 115 community members and representatives from the Arkansas press. Participants included individuals from print media, radio, nonprofit news, communication firms, municipal leadership, universities, and philanthropy.
The goal of the convening was to foster a collaborative discussion on how to increase civic health and engagement by improving access to local news and information. We centered our conversation on a guiding question: How do we work together to increase or improve access to local news and information, build connections, and increase citizen participation in the community?
Panel Discussion
To start the day, the Institute shared feedback from our Civic Arkansas listening sessions, which highlighted a recurring theme: the need for increased access to local information and news. This led into a panel discussion showcasing the obstacles, innovative practices, and hopes for the future of journalism in Arkansas. Moderated by Chris Bahn, the panel featured I.C. Murrell (Pine Bluff Commercial), Clint Schaff (KUAF), Warwick Sabin (Deep South Today), Ashley Wimberley (Arkansas Press Association), Andrew Bagley (Helena World), Eliza Gaines (WEHCO Media), and Roby Brock (Talk Business & Politics).
“There is an opportunity to team up on statewide investigations or essential service journalism. There is also a desire for more collaboration within Arkansas media. It would be great if some philanthropy-funded partnerships were established betwee news sources statewide to fill critical information gaps for underserved audiences.”
Eliza Gaines
Key Themes
Following the panel, participants engaged in exercises to imagine the future of local news in Arkansas, moving beyond traditional models to consider more inclusive, community-centered possibilities. This summary reflects what we heard and opens the door for continued input. The following themes represent common ideas that emerged, highlighting areas of interest, need, and opportunity.
Media Literacy
Participants highlighted the importance of building stronger media literacy skills. This includes helping people critically evaluate information, understand the role of journalism, and navigate today’s complex media environment.
Call to Action
There is an interest in providing more actionable ways for community members to get involved. This focuses on sharing resources about community events, local causes, and accessible ways for people to engage.
Collaboration & Connection
Participants desire deeper collaboration with their local communities and across media organizations. This includes increasing youth involvement, community advisory boards, and creating a more formalized and accessible way to share stories among press members.
Learning About the Nonprofit News Model
There is interest in understanding how nonprofit news organizations operate, including their funding and mission. This knowledge could help build trust and encourage community support for local journalism.
Making News More Accessible
News content often includes jargon that can be hard to understand. Defining these terms more clearly would make news more accessible and inclusive for all community members.
Regional & Statewide Convenings
Smaller, regional convenings and larger, statewide gatherings were suggested to build connections, discuss local issues, align efforts, and share learning among press and community members.
Training Programs
A strong interest was expressed for training opportunities for both journalists and community members to build skills, deepen understanding, and encourage more engagement with local media and civic life.
Next Steps and Possibilities
Based on the day’s conversations, we’ve identified several key areas for collaborative action and investment.
- Explore a citizen-led engagement council to serve as a resource for local government and news outlets. The Institute will connect press members with groups that have completed the Civic Arkansan Credential to pilot this initiative in 5-6 communities.
- Develop training opportunities, such as learning about the nonprofit news model and training citizens to report back to a central reporter.
- Develop collaborative philanthropic support to fund these initiatives.
- Increase partnerships with high schools and colleges for internships and service-learning opportunities.
- Continue to explore opportunities for future regional and statewide convenings.
Alyssa Ghaleb
Program Officeraghaleb@rockefellerinstitute.orgDo you have questions or want to share your thoughts on this initiative? We invite you to contact Alyssa to continue the conversation.
Great read — I love how this post shows the importance of bringing press and communities together. It’s rare to see conversations about media accountability and local engagement laid out so clearly. Thanks for highlighting this!