Finding and interviewing sources distinguishes news reporting from other forms of storytelling. It’s a basic tenet of journalism: Gathering information and quotes from people directly involved in events provides firsthand perspectives, adds credibility and helps build trust.
Yet a new landscape analysis of Santa Barbara County’s local news reveals that many stories are missing this crucial element.
The News Revenue Hub, commissioned by NEWSWELL, conducted a comprehensive landscape analysis that included a content review of more than 950 stories published across five local outlets over a constructed two-week period. The content review, along with community surveys and listening sessions, aimed to understand how Santa Barbara’s news currently serves its residents — and where gaps exist.
A major gap in sourcing
Among the most striking findings was that 57% of analyzed stories contained no quoted sources at all. Many of these pieces were summaries of press releases or event listings — information the public might find useful, but lacking in original reporting or community voices.
“It’s a huge number, one that should hopefully motivate news organizations to be more intentional about sourcing,” said Liz Worthington, director of product strategy at the American Press Institute (API).
Worthington oversees two of API’s tools for newsrooms: Metrics for News, which helps news leaders make data-informed editorial decisions, and Source Matters, which helps reporters and editors track and improve the diversity of sources in their coverage.
“The sources journalists choose to quote affect not only whose stories are told and how,” she said, “but which communities are ultimately seen, heard and listened to.”
The consequences of Santa Barbara County’s sourcing gap came through clearly in survey results and listening sessions. Many residents said local media doesn’t reflect the diversity of their communities or the issues that matter most to them. Some felt journalists only reach out to the same small pool of officials and experts and that everyday residents are unheard.
Alex Murkison, advancement manager at the Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization, was one of several community leaders who attended a recent NEWSWELL session in Lompoc to learn about the reimagining of the Santa Barbara News-Press and the findings from the landscape analysis.
“I think it’s really nice that we had this session in Lompoc,” Murkison said. “We are often overlooked, especially when it comes to the news.”
Murkison, who was named 2025 Man of the Year by the Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, wasn’t surprised by residents’ desire for local news to reflect a wider range of voices and perspectives. He was, however, alarmed by the current lack of sourcing.
“If you don’t have a source, then how are you getting the information to write the story?” he asked. “Are you just copying someone else’s press release and rewriting it? Are you actually on the ground doing the work?”
In addition to the high percentage of unsourced stories, the content analysis found that when people were interviewed, few were “regular” citizens without official positions. Community members made up less than 18% of sources in the analyzed stories.
That’s a major missed opportunity, Murkison said. “So many times, news stories — especially about Lompoc — are written in a negative way,” he shared. “There are so many positive things to focus on and solutions to highlight. But when you aren’t asking the people who are being written about and are being directly affected, you can’t get that other side.”
The resource challenge
Finding and interviewing a variety of sources requires significant resources — enough time, money and staffing — many local newsrooms lack.
“I work with resource-strapped newsrooms all the time,” Worthington said. “They are working incredibly hard and feeling like their work is just not stretching far enough. But you can’t scale one person. If you’re in a newsroom that has one or two reporters, you have to decide where to prioritize your time.”
Rather than trying to cover everything, Worthington suggests that small outlets analyze their data to identify where they can have the biggest impact.
“If almost all of those 57% of stories were rewritten press releases, I might suggest: Do we need those stories?” she said. Worthington proposed that newsrooms consider collaborating on investigative pieces or responsibly employing AI tools that free up reporters’ time for more meaningful work.
Murkison agrees. “We want more independent journalism that’s on the ground,” he said. “Journalists who understand the area and go out and find the story — not just write what’s placed in front of them.”
Learning from other communities
Worthington has seen what’s possible when newsrooms commit to tracking their sources and making intentional changes. The San Antonio Report, one of API’s Source Matters partners (and a client of the News Revenue Hub), is an example of how data can lead to more equitable and engaging journalism.
Through a series of source audits, the San Antonio Report tracked who reporters were quoting — by race and ethnicity, age, gender and City Council district. In its first year, the newsroom discovered only 27% of its sources identified as Latino, despite Latinos making up more than 60% of San Antonio’s population.
Within a year of focused effort, that number rose to 41%.
“They made a pretty significant jump,” Worthington said. “It wasn’t full equity — it didn’t exactly match the census — but they saw a huge shift in the voices represented in their coverage.”
That shift even translated into financial support. The San Antonio Report used its Source Matters data to communicate progress to readers and incorporated it into its end-of-year fundraising campaigns.
“The first return on investment is what you learn, not what you earn,” Worthington said. “But it does have the ability to help you earn as well.”
Data as a bridge, not a barrier
Worthington emphasized that tools like Source Matters aren’t meant to replace journalists’ judgment or community relationships. Instead, they serve as a starting point for reflection and accountability.
“Data can be extremely powerful when used in the right way,” she said. “It can help you start from a more informed place — to see where there are gaps or opportunities.”
In Santa Barbara, the landscape analysis findings, including the sourcing data, are already helping shape the direction of the reimagined Santa Barbara News-Press.
“I’m so excited about the News-Press,” Murkison said. “It’s a chance to connect reporters to the communities that don’t always get reported on — to get those real stories that we’ve been missing for so many years.”
Katie Hawkins-Gaar is a veteran journalist and freelance writer. She previously worked at CNN and the Poynter Institute and now collaborates with a variety of journalism support organizations, including the News Revenue Hub, Press Forward and Report for America. She lives in Atlanta with her family.
