DEMOGRAPHICS
How old are you in years?
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- . . .
- 86 or older
What gender do you identify as?
- Male
- Female
- Trans Male/Trans Man
- Trans Female/Trans Woman
- Genderqueer/Gender Nonconforming
- Different Identity
What sex were you assigned at birth, such as on an original birth certificate?
- Male
- Female
Do you consider yourself Hispanic/Latino or not Hispanic/Latino?
- Hispanic/Latino
- Not Hispanic/Latino
Which of the following racial designations best describes you? More than one choice is acceptable.
- American Indian or Alaska Native
- Asian
- Black or African American
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
- White
- Two or more races
- Non-Resident Alien (of any race or ethnicity)
- Race unknown
What is your sexual orientation?
- Heterosexual or straight
- Gay
- Lesbian
- Bisexual
- Not listed above (please specify): __________
What is your relationship status?
- Single
- Married
- Divorced
- Dating
- Long-term committed relationship, unmarried
- Other: _________
What is the highest level of education have you completed?
- Less than high school diploma or equivalent
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Technical Certificate
- Some college coursework, but no degree
- Associate degree
- Bachelor’s Degree
- Master’s Degree
- Doctoral Degree
What political party do you align with?
- Republican Party
- Democratic Party
- Libertarian Party
- Green Party
- Alliance Party
- Independent
- Unaffiliated
- Other: __________
What religious beliefs do you align with?
- Christianity
- Protestant
- Catholic
- Mormon
- Orthodox Christian
- Unaffiliated
- Atheist
- Agnostic
- Jewish
- Muslim
- Hindu
- Buddhist
- Other: __________
What is your general income level?
- Less than $20,000
- $20,000 to $49,999
- $45,000 to $139,999
- $140,000 to $149,999
- $150,000 to $199,999
- $200,000+
What best describes your current employment status?
- Student
- Unemployed, looking for work
- Unemployed, not looking for work
- Part-Time Employment (1-39 hours per week), hourly wage
- Part-Time Employment (1-39 hours per week), salaried wage
- Full-Time Employment (40+ hours per week), hourly wage
- Full-Time Employment (40+ hours per week), salaried wage
- Self-Employed
- Retired
- Disable, unable to work
What best describes your current, primary occupation?
- Student: Undergraduate
- Student: Graduate
- Oil and natural gas occupations
- Wind and solar power occupations
- Farming and ranching occupations
- Wildlife, fishing and forestry occupations
- Computer and technology occupations
- Education occupations (teacher, administrator, paraprofessional, librarian, etc.)
- Law enforcement occupations (police, sheriff, etc.)
- Health and medical occupations (CNA, nursing, physical therapist, etc.)
- Emergency services occupations (dispatcher, EMT, firefighter, etc.)
- Retail occupations
- Manufacturing occupations
- Automotive sales occupations
- Automotive repair occupations
- Legal services occupations (lawyer, judge, attorney, paralegal, law clerk, etc.)
- Governmental occupations (city administrator, county clerk, mayor, etc.)
- Architecture and engineering occupations
- Farm sales/repairs occupations (equipment dealer, etc.)
- Insurance occupations
- Real estate occupations (agent, broker, etc.)
- Accounting occupations
- Banking occupations (teller, branch president, etc.)
- Construction and extraction occupations
- Community and social service occupations
- Plumbing, heating and air occupations
- Electrician occupations
- Not Applicable
- Other: _________
How did you come to participate in this survey?
- Via Social Media
- Direct Mail or Email
- Personal Recruitment by the Researcher
- Other: ___________
MEDIA USE QUESTIONS
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “never” and 5 being “hourly,” how often do you consume news and information from media outlets?
Never 1 2 3 4 5 Hourly
Where do you get the most of your news and information?
- FM Radio
- AM Radio
- Podcasts
- Local/Antenna Television
- Cable/Satellite Television
- Streaming Television
- Daily Newspapers
- Weekly Newspapers
- Monthly Magazines
- Quarterly Magazines
- News Outlet Websites
- Social Media
Of the following options, which cable television news outlet do you feel is the most reliable?
- CNN
- Fox News
- MSNBC
- Newsmax TV
- NewsNation
- Blaze TV
- Free Speech TV
- RFD-TV
- CNBC
- Bloomberg Television
- Newsy
- Fox Business Network
- One America News Network (OANN)
- InfoWars
- BBC World News
Of the following options, which cable television news outlet do (or would) you watch the most?
- CNN
- Fox News
- MSNBC
- Newsmax TV
- NewsNation
- Blaze TV
- Free Speech TV
- RFD-TV
- CNBC
- Bloomberg Television
- Newsy
- Fox Business Network
- One America News Network (OANN)
- InfoWars
- BBC World News
Do you regularly watch local news broadcasts from local affiliates/channels of CBS, ABC, NBC, or PBS?
- Yes
- No
- Sometimes
What social media platforms do you use? Check all that apply.
- TikTok
- Snapchat
- YouTube
- Other: ___________
- None of the Above
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “never” and 5 being “hourly,” how often do you look at social media?
Never 1 2 3 4 5 Hourly
What social media platform do you use the most?
- TikTok
- Snapchat
- YouTube
- Other: ___________
- None of the Above
When on social media, what is your primary purpose for using the platform?
- Posting/creating content
- Selling items
- Marketing purposes (self-promotion or business promotion)
- Building and/or maintaining relationships
- Consuming news and information
- Entertainment
- General communication
- Other: ________________
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “never” and 5 being “often,” how often do you consume news and information on social media?
Never 1 2 3 4 5 Often
Regardless of the medium (print product, radio or television broadcast, or social media), what type of news and information do you seek out the most?
- Local news/information
- State news/information
- National news/information
- Professional sports news/information
- Political news/information
- Entertainment news/information
- Weather news/information
- Business/stock news/information
- Agricultural (farming, livestock, etc.) news/information
- Energy sector (oil, gas, solar, wind, etc.) news/information
- Other: _________________
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “none at all” and 5 being “extremely,” how often does the news reported by the media feel important to your everyday life?
None At All 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “never” and 5 being “all the time,” how often do you think the news media misses the important stories?
Never 1 2 3 4 5 All The Time
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “all the time” and 5 being “never,” how often do you see local journalists or reporters in your community talking to community members?
All The Time 1 2 3 4 5 Never
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “all the time” and 5 being “never,” how often do you see local journalists or reporters in your community covering community events?
All The Time 1 2 3 4 5 Never
Do you wish local journalists or reporters would work with the community (develop story ideas, contribute content of articles or photos, take part in focus groups, etc.) to provide more news of local importance?
- Yes
- No
- Maybe
- I Don’t Know
If given the opportunity to work with local journalists or reporters (develop story ideas, contribute content of articles or photos, take part in focus groups, etc.) to provide more news of local importance, would you do so?
Yes
No
Maybe
I Don’t Know
NEWS TRUST & MIS/DISINFORMATION QUESTIONS
Please provide the year you were born in.
__________________
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “extremely” and 5 being “none,” how would you rank your trust in the news media and journalists in general?
Extremely 1 2 3 4 5 None
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “none” and 5 being “extremely,” how would you rank your trust in the national news media and journalists?
None 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “extremely” and 5 being “none,” how would you rank your trust in the local news media and journalists?
Extremely 1 2 3 4 5 None
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “an extreme amount” and 5 being “none,” how much misinformation or disinformation is present on social media?
An Extreme Amount 1 2 3 4 5 None
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “an extreme amount” and 5 being “none,” how much misinformation or disinformation is present on the television?
An Extreme Amount 1 2 3 4 5 None
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “none” and 5 being “an extreme amount,” how much misinformation or disinformation is present on the radio?
None 1 2 3 4 5 An Extreme Amount
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “none” and 5 being “an extreme amount,” how much misinformation or disinformation is present in printed news products such as newspapers and magazines?
None 1 2 3 4 5 An Extreme Amount
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “strongly disagree” and 5 being “strongly agree,” rank how much you agree with the following statement: “The press is the enemy of the people.”
Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Agree
Of the following options, which cable television news outlet do you feel spreads the most misinformation or disinformation?
- CNN
- Fox News
- MSNBC
- Newsmax TV
- NewsNation
- Blaze TV
- Free Speech TV
- RFD-TV
- CNBC
- Bloomberg Television
- Newsy
- Fox Business Network
- One America News Network (OANN)
- InfoWars
- BBC World News
Of the following options, which cable television news outlet do you feel spreads the least misinformation or disinformation?
- CNN
- Fox News
- MSNBC
- Newsmax TV
- NewsNation
- Blaze TV
- Free Speech TV
- RFD-TV
- CNBC
- Bloomberg Television
- Newsy
- Fox Business Network
- One America News Network (OANN)
- InfoWars
- BBC World News
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “none whatsoever” and 5 being “extremely so,” do you feel that misinformation and disinformation are a problem in society?
None Whatsoever 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely So
Using a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “strongly disagree” and 5 being “strongly agree,” rank your reaction to the following statement: “Aliens are real. They landed in Roswell, New Mexico, and Area 51 contains evidence that the government is hiding from us.”
Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Agree
Using a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “strongly disagree” and 5 being “strongly agree,” rank your reaction to the following statement: “No one has ever landed on the moon. The moon landing was faked and filmed on a soundstage in Hollywood.”
Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Agree
Using a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “strongly agree” and 5 being “strongly disagree,” rank your reaction to the following statement: “Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone in President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.”
Strongly Agree 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Disagree
Using a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “strongly agree” and 5 being “strongly disagree,” rank your reaction to the following statement: “President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.”
Strongly Agree 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Disagree
Using a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “strongly disagree” and 5 being “strongly agree,” rank your reaction to the following statement: “Donald Trump won the 2020 United States presidential election.”
Strongly Disagree 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Agree
Using a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “strongly agree” and 5 being “strongly disagree,” rank your reaction to the following statement: “Birds aren’t real. They are surveillance drones for the United States government.”
Strongly Agree 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Disagree
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “not at all” and 5 being “extremely,” how important do you feel journalism is to society?
Not At All 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “not at all” and 5 being “extremely,” how relevant do you feel national journalism is to your daily life?
Not At All 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “not at all” and 5 being “extremely,” how relevant do you feel local/community journalism is to your daily life?
Not At All 1 2 3 4 5 Extremely
SOCIAL & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT QUESTIONS
How frequently do you vote?
- In every election, both national and local
- Only in national elections
- Only in local elections
- Only in presidential election years
- Most of the time
- Some of the time
- Only when an issue important to me is on the ballot
- Never
Have you ever run for an elected office (board of education, county commission, city council, state legislature, etc.)?
- Yes
- No
Have you ever held an elected office (board of education, county commission, city council, state legislature, etc.)?
- Yes
- No
Who did you vote for in the 2012 Presidential Election?
- Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan (Republican Party)
- Barack Obama and Joe Biden (Democratic Party)
- Gary Johnson and Jim Gray (Libertarian Party)
- Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala (Green Party)
- Virgil Goode and Jim Clymer (Constitution Party)
- Rocky Anderson and Luis J. Rodriguez (Justice Party)
- Other: _____________
- Did not vote
Who did you vote for in the 2016 Presidential Election?
- Donald Trump and Mike Pence (Republican Party)
- Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine (Democratic Party)
- Gary Johnson and Bill Weld (Libertarian Party)
- Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka (Green Party)
- Darrell Castle and Scott Bradley (Constitution Party)
- Evan McMullin and Mindy Finn (Independent Ticket)
- Other: ______________
- Did not vote
Who did you vote for in the 2020 Presidential Election?
- Donald Trump and Mike Pence (Republican)
- Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (Democratic Party)
- Jo Jorgensen and Spike Cohen (Libertarian Party)
- Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker (Green Party)
- Don Blankenship and William Mohr (Constitution Party)
- Other: ______________
- Did not vote
Did you vote “yes” or “no” on the Kansas Constitutional Amendment referred to as “Value Them Both” that sought to overturn the Kansas Supreme Court’s ruling that abortion was legal because of ideas of bodily autonomy?
- Yes
- No
- Did not vote
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “none” and 5 being “extreme,” how would you rank your level of trust in politicians?
None 1 2 3 4 5 Extreme
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “extreme” and 5 being “none,” how would you describe your level of trust in the government?
Extreme 1 2 3 4 5 None
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “none” and 5 being “extreme,” how would you score your satisfaction with democracy as a method of self-governance?
None 1 2 3 4 5 Extreme
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “a lot” and 5 being “none,” how would you describe your level of trust toward your neighbors?
A Lot 1 2 3 4 5 None
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “none” and 5 being “extreme,” how would you rank the importance of religion in your life?
None 1 2 3 4 5 Extreme
On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “a lot” and 5 being “none,” how would you describe the impact of your religious views on your political views?
A Lot 1 2 3 4 5 None
As you know, it is very important that survey respondents answer questions accurately. This is a quality control item. Please answer “I agree” below.
- I don’t agree
- I agree
- I may agree later
CLOSING QUESTIONS
What questions regarding news use, community journalism, media trust, and mis/disinformation did this survey not ask that it should have? What else would you like to discuss that wasn’t covered?
Would you be interested and willing to be interviewed about the topics of this survey and more? Interviews would be conducted via the phone, video conferencing, or in person depending upon preference and availability.
- Yes
- No