IRJCI Reports

Research and other Reports

The Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues produces reports on topics of interest to rural America. Links to those reports are below. Before the Institute was staffed in August 2004, members of its Advisory Committee and hired reseearchyers produced proposals, correspondence, studies and speeches that laid a foundation for development of the Institute, beginning in Central Appalachia, the Institute's initial research area.

APPALACHIA (also see Environment) Mountaintop-mining foes, rebuffed at local and state level, look to Washington UMWA has no working miners in Eastern Ky. but its heritage remains strong Coverage of public-policy issues by newspapers in Central Appalachia The Media and Appalachia: A symposium at East Tennessee State University Tom and Pat Gish, mountain publishers, receive award named for them Hatfield-McCoy Institute for Agreement Training holds its first workshop Hardship, uncertainty and hope in the county of the 'Country Boys' Appalachian Regional Commission distressed counties Economic and demographic trends in Mid-Appalachia BROADCASTING Exemplary rural broadcasters honored by their Kentucky colleagues Radio outlets in Texas, Montana and Appalachia serve rural communities ECONOMICS OF RURAL AREAS Covering and Guiding Rural Economic Development: A Seminar Issues in the rural economy, from farms to broadband to big-box stores How broadband Internet access and use are keys to the future of a rural state Assuring equity for rural telecommunications (report of The Aspen Institute) EDUCATION Beyond the Board Meeting: Improving Your Education Coverage (videos) ENVIRONMENT AND LABOR Celebrating Earth: It’s the natural thing to do on Earth Day Journalists, coal-industry folks hash out issues of communication and trust Covering Coal conference offers ideas for journalists, citizens An analysis of news coverage of mountaintop-removal strip mining Paper in heart of Appalachian coalfield tackles coal-mining issues HEALTH Conference on covering Health Care and Health in Central Appalachia Special Report: Covering the Methamphetamine Epidemic in Rural America IMMIGRATION, DIVERSITY, HUMANITY 'Little Mexico' comes to rural life, and that can be a good thing Amid a hurricane's toll, a call to listen, be humane; journalists, take note Kentucky newspaper reports on a 1963 integration that was little reported then ISSUES CONFERENCE (national): Read reports on varied sessions Keynote speaker calls for better media coverage, a national rural policy NEWSPAPERS Small newspapers will lead way as industry deals with challenges, exec says Hold that Obituary! Knight Ridder sale shows health of community newspapers From a small daily in Ohio, one editor's definition of community journalism Small-town newspaper folks have frank discussions with Wal-Mart executives Ky. Journalism Hall of Famers: One chose a small town to make a difference, another has 'a love affair with community journalism;' others' speeches posted Gannett now owns more weekly newspapers than any other company STUDENT PROJECTS Reporting projects by students in fall 2005 Community Journalism course Reporting projects by students in fall 2006 Community Journalism course Reporting by students in spring 2007 Covering the Governor's Race course TOBACCO coverage by Rural Journalism class, University of Kentucky: Kentucky, North Carolina spend settlement money for agriculture differently Without quotas or price supports, Kentucky burley production shifts west Some legislators worry that tobacco-settlement money is spent too loosely Complaints about use of settlement funds, oversight cause investigation, changes Tobacco-dependent Bath County, Kentucky, copes with end of federal program Entrepreneurial couple show one way to diversify, with gourmet mushrooms Tobacco grower gets into greenhouses to maintain farm income Extension Service faces challenges in helping growers, their communities Mid-semester class report: Tobacco farmers deal with new realities One local newspaper's coverage of spending of tobacco settlement: Weekly newspaper looks at local groups' spending of settlement funds A closer examination of a cattle farmers' group's oversight of programs Earlier report: Kentucky farmers fuss over use of diversification money WATCHDOG JOURNALISM Seminar explores how to cover state and federal governments from afar Ex-FBI agent shows the way to open government as county official in N.C. OTHER REPORTS Growing Kentucky: New Directions for Our Culture of Land and Food Reports on November 2004 television documentaries on Wal-Mart Research reports on voter guides in Kentucky and North Carolina, 2004 REPORTS ON THE INSTITUTE Spring 2006 October 2005 September 2005 July 2005 November 2004 EARLIER REPORTS Director's Remarks to Kentucky & Tennessee Press Associations, 2002
Journalism at a Crossroads
The Regional Role of Rural News Outlets
Creation of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues
Description of Initial Research

ECONOMICS OF RURAL AREAS

ISSUES CONFERENCE (national): Read reports on varied sessions

NEWSPAPERS

WATCHDOG JOURNALISM

EARLIER REPORTS