Rural Idaho: Challenged to Change, Idaho 2001
Partners:
The Idaho Statesman
Idaho Spokesman-Review
Lewiston Morning Tribune
(Idaho Falls) Post Register
KTVB-TV (NBC in Boise)
Idaho Public Television
The news organizations gave a statewide scope to the problems of rural Idaho with their collaboration on “Rural Idaho: Challenged to Change,” a five-part series that ran simultaneously in all four papers, and as a three-part series on KTVB in October of 2001. The series’ revelations led to a November conference, attended by several hundred citizens, co-sponsored by the Statesman and two non-profit public policy organizations that, in turn, generated a white paper to the state legislature on measures needed to shore up rural Idaho.
The partners conducted a statewide poll of 813 residents and held five roundtable meetings across the state to get the views of Idaho citizens on the challenges facing rural areas. The Statesman also solicited reader ideas through an online poll. Several hundred people completed the poll. The Statesman estimates it received input from 1,400 Idahoans over the course of the project. The paper sold 3,000 extra copies the week the series ran and its Rural Idaho Web page received 80,000 hits in the first three months.
The partners also created and analyzed several databases for the series. One, on education, revealed the low achievement of rural schools. Only 8 percent of the school districts in rural counties met the national average on standardized tests. That was news even to state education officials.
The tenuous state of rural Idaho was brought home through the stories of five families, each from different areas of the state and representing different segments of the rural economy. The package drew praise from the Northwest Area Foundation, which is dedicated to helping rural areas. Its president Karl Stauber said, “The way you’ve pulled together this media package is the best example of engaging the entire citizenry of the state in becoming more knowledgeable and more involved in finding solutions for Idaho.”
Contact:
Carolyn K. Washburn
Executive Editor
The Idaho Statesman
P.O. Box 40
Boise, ID 83707
Phone: (208) 377-6403
Email: cwashbur@boise.gannett.com
Steve Silberman (former Statesman Managing Editor)
Executive Editor
The Desert Sun
750M. Gene Autry Trail
Palm Springs, CA 92262
Phone: (760) 778-4616
Email: silberman@thedesertsun.com