NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (May 15, 2026) — The majority of New Jersey residents seem to support a larger ecosystem for local news, no matter their political affiliation, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll in collaboration with the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium. Sixty-five percent say they would like to receive more news about their local area, 27% say they would like the same amount and 4% say they would like to see less.
Fifty-six percent say would like to see more statewide news, 34% would like to see the same amount and 5% would like to see less. Sixty-four percent of Republicans, 64% of independents and 66% of Democrats in New Jersey say they would like to receive more news about their local area. This desire for more news about both New Jersey and residents’ local area extends across gender, race and ethnicity, age, income, region, and education: Half or more of all demographic groups express wanting to receive more news in both cases – local and state.
Eleven percent of New Jerseyans say local news in their area does “very well” at keeping them informed of the most important issues of the day, another 44% say “somewhat well,” 24% “not very well” and 15% “not well at all.” “At a time when misinformation is rising and local reporting is shrinking, New Jerseyans want more local, trustworthy outlets covering the topics that matter most and impact their daily lives,” said Lisa Sahulka, executive director of the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium.
“Topics like new businesses opening, town council meetings, infrastructure proposals, and community-building events. We have also heard from local, state and federal representatives who rely consistently on local news outlets to get their work on the radar of their constituents.” “Bipartisan agreement on anything is notable right now, and we see it on a critical issue that sits at the very foundation of an informed democracy,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
“The appetite for more local news exists across the board. The question these numbers raise is whether the local news infrastructure exists to meet that demand – or whether less credible sources, like social media, are filling that void and deepening it in the process.” The bipartisan support for increasing local news capacity comes amid a partisan gap in how well New Jerseyans feel local news keeps them informed.
Democrats are the most satisfied, with 63% feeling “very well” or “somewhat well” informed by their local news, in contrast with 46% of Republicans reporting the same. Fifty-two percent of independents are “very well” or “somewhat well” informed. Women (58%) are more likely than men (50%) to feel at least “somewhat” well-informed. The Jersey Shore is the only state region where less than half of residents feel “very well” or “somewhat well” informed (47%).
Results are from a statewide poll of 1,568 New Jersey adults contacted through the RutgersEagleton/SSRS Garden State Panel from March 27 to March 30. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.
ABOUT THE EAGLETON CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEREST POLLING
Home of the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) was established in 1971 and is the oldest and one of the most respected university-based statewide polling operations in the United States. Now in its 52nd year and with the publication of over 200 polls, ECPIP’s mission is to provide scientifically sound, nonpartisan information about public opinion. To read more about ECPIP and view all of our press releases, published research and data archive, please visit our website: eagletonpoll.rutgers.edu.
ABOUT THE EAGLETON INSTITUTE OF POLITICS
The Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling is a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. The Eagleton Institute studies how American politics and government work and change, analyzes how the democracy might improve and promotes political participation and civic engagement. The Institute explores state and national politics through research, education and public service, linking the study of politics with its day-to-day practice. To learn more about Eagleton programs and expertise, visit eagleton.rutgers.edu.
ABOUT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY-NEW BRUNSWICK
Rutgers University-New Brunswick is where Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, began more than 250 years ago. Ranked among the world’s top 60 universities, Rutgers’s flagship university is a leading public research institution and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. It is home to internationally acclaimed faculty and has 12 degreegranting schools and a Division I Athletics program. It is the Big Ten Conference’s most diverse university. Through its community of teachers, scholars, artists, scientists and healers, Rutgers is equipped as never before to transform lives.
ABOUT THE NEW JERSEY CIVIC INFORMATION CONSORTIUM
The New Jersey Civic Information Consortium is an independent nonprofit organization established by the State of New Jersey in 2018 to strengthen local journalism and civic information across the state. Through grants, research, training programs, back-office support, and collaboration with media organizations and community partners, the Consortium works to ensure New Jersey residents have access to reliable information that helps increase civic participation and enhance community life.
