Where are the news gaps in southeastern NC? Take a survey to make your voice heard

What news stories matter most in southeastern North Carolina?

Carolina Public Press, a nonprofit, independent and investigative news organization, has put together a reader survey to help determine where news gaps are within communities across the state without strong and fast broadband. The Border Belt Independent, also a nonprofit, will be able to use the survey data to make better-informed decisions about critical stories in Bladen, Columbus, Robeson and Scotland counties.

Results are beginning to come in from CPP’s “NC Connection: Closing the News Gap” project survey, and the organization wants more participation from across the state in order to be as representative as possible of North Carolina’s rural communities.

The survey can be delivered to you by email or text; and you can take it in under 10 minutes. To take it now, please follow the link to https://bit.ly/cppgni22 or text survey to 866-716-1266. 

COVID made us all aware of a digital divide in North Carolina — the fact that many households — a large number of them in communities like those in southeastern North Carolina — lack reliable internet access, cannot afford an internet subscription or do not have an adequate device. When there’s a crisis like COVID, lack of internet service becomes a critical need.

To make your voice heard, please consider taking the survey.

If you need more information or would like to be contacted directly regarding the survey or you’d like to be part of a focus group, please reach out to Angie Newsome, founder and executive director of Carolina Public Press, at anewsome@carolinapublicpress.org.

Carolina Public Press is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit based in Asheville. You can find it online at carolinapublicpress.org