Media: Survey Asks Why Good News Is Underreported

As traditional news media struggles to define its role in a world of blogs, online video and social networking sites, a new survey reveals what Americans think about why good news isn't reported very often. By an almost two to one margin, Americans believe it's simply the nature of the news business to cover bad things.

That's the key finding of a new nationwide survey of 1,000 adults, conducted in April by market researcher Synovate for Gimundo. It's the first in a new ongoing series of Good News Surveys for the company.

Respondents were asked, "Why do you think you don't hear about good news very often?" They were given five reasons and asked to select all that apply. Nearly two-thirds cited the nature of the news business (64 percent). Some 37 percent agreed that "people like to focus on the negative" while 35 percent concurred that "good news tends not to be as 'important.'" Twelve percent said "there isn't enough good news to go around," and just 3 percent said that "hearing about bad things makes me feel better about my own situation." Six percent selected "none of these."

"Whether or not it's true, the overwhelming perception among Americans is that there's an institutional bias toward bad news within the media," said Keith Cohn, Gimundo CEO. "We all know there's a lot to be troubled about, but there's also a lot to celebrate. There's a hunger for good news, and it's important that we examine why the good news is so underreported. Our poll offers some valuable insight into people's perceptions about the way things are now and why."

Among the other key survey findings:

• The older we get, the more we believe bad news is a media thing (54 percent in the 18-24 bracket and then creeping up, to 78 percent among those over 65).
• Optimism may well be the province of youth: age influences whether we believe that good news "tends not to be as 'important.'" On a percentage basis, just 25 percent of those in the 18-24 bracket agree, but fully half those 65 and above hold to that view - and it's a sentiment that precisely tracks increases in age.
• Women are marginally more likely than men to believe that "good news tends not to be as 'important.'"
• Midwesterners are least likely to put the onus on the media (58 percent, against a high of 68 percent in the West and 64 percent overall); ditto, they are least likely to believe people like to focus on the negative (27 percent, against 45 percent in the South and 37 percent overall).
• Those in the Northeast are twice as likely as any other regional group to admit that "hearing about bad things makes me feel better about my own situation."
• More than whites, non-whites believe people like to focus on the negative (48 percent vs. 35 percent).
• The higher the educational level, the more likely Americans are to believe that it's in the media's DNA. Likewise, with more education we're more likely to say that "good news tends not to be as 'important.'"
• By a wide margin, people with high school education or less are more than twice as likely as those with college or grad degrees to say "there isn't enough good news to go around."
• Continuing that thread, those who earn less than $25K are much more likely to say "there isn't enough good news to go around."
• Twice as many single adults as married respondents agree "there isn't enough good news to go around" (18 percent and 9 percent, respectively).

Cohn, an Internet marketing veteran, teamed up with Chris Case, an Emmy-nominated television writer, to address the need for more good news. They launched Gimundo this month, offering a new free daily newsletter that reports true stories of good news from around the globe. It delivers original reporting and a fresh dose of good news to subscribers' inboxes every morning, while an online community lets people share their own stories and interact with others via forums, chat rooms, blogs and video sharing capabilities.

"We offer a respite from bad news," said Case. "There are plenty of stories every day that inspire hope and celebrate all things good. We seek and report stories portraying people at their best - helping others, improving the world around them, or just being in the right place at the right time. Everyone should spend a few moments a day reading, thinking, doing and being something good."

The survey has a margin of error of 3 percent. For a full copy of the survey results, email info @ edgecommunicationsinc.com.

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