Trust ranks highest at the local level

By Sherry Ristau / President & CEO

I was in Miami last week. And yes, it was definitely warmer there than it is in the Quad Cities right now.

I was in south Florida having an enriching experience at the 2020 Knight Media Forum, hosted by the Knight Foundation. The foundation invests in journalism, the arts, and the success of cities. I was surrounded by media representatives, journalists, foundation leaders and digital entrepreneurs. I accepted the invitation to attend because I wanted to learn what the Knight Foundation is doing through their investments in communities across the nation for success in the 21st century—specifically the role of digital media and the impact on local news and democracy.

The word that came up time and again in the presentations and discussions was “trust.” We talk about trust often at the Quad Cities Community Foundation, too. Trust is one of the most important values we have in our work with donors and community.

Nationally, trust ranks highest at the local level. Speakers focused on a call back to the integrity and fundamentals of community, including the role local news reporting plays in lifting up the efforts and stories of people who strengthen our region. I learned more clearly about opportunities for collaboration among media, and non-traditional strategies to solve community problems and create new promising opportunities.

 This experience has been a reminder of how lucky we are to have media leaders in the Quad Cities who are not only committed to shedding light on community needs and opportunities, but also participate in uncovering the solutions that will allow our region to continue to flourish. We must not take that for granted.

Now back in the office, I am thinking about the ways we can support journalism, digital media, and local news reporting in our community—particular in our world today. When our local journalists know that we have their backs, that we rely on them, and that we support them, we are setting up our community to be informed—and to be successful.