Audience

Civically-minded millennials and Gen Z make up the first audience segment. They are students and young professionals interested in consuming information digitally about the areas they live. This persona is educated and prefers innovation, creativity and alternative ways to consume news and information. The rate of online news use for those under 50 is still increasing 2 to 3 percent per year, while their rate of television news use is decreasing by between 4 to 10 percent, according to Pew Research.

The second segment of our audience is engaged older residents. This category would include local community leaders and residents who have lived in Columbus or the area for much of their lives. They are invested in their communities and the city and care about issues affecting those living in the city, even if it does not directly affect them. They have likely been getting their news from traditional sources, but they are also often interested in investigative coverage, which is increasingly out of reach due to reductions in the number of local journalists.

Ignored and underserved audiences such as people of color, queer people and those with less education and access to technology are the third audience segment. Those in this segment may or may not be civically-minded, but they are interested in gaining more information about the issues that affect them. Moreover, GMM’s content will provide easily digestible context, providing learning opportunities for those who may not have equal educational opportunities otherwise.