These 10 questions will provide information to many organizations and people on what is challenging for media communities. Are you media? This survey is for you. SmallBizSurvival.com and SaveYour.Town are conducting the 10th-anniversary edition of the Survey of Rural Challenges! Take the Survey of Rural Challenges. Spread the word Could you help us spread the word on […]
These 10 questions will provide information to many organizations and people on what is challenging for media communities. Are you media? This survey is for you.
SmallBizSurvival.com and SaveYour.Town are conducting the 10th-anniversary edition of the Survey of Rural Challenges! Take the Survey of Rural Challenges.
Spread the word
Could you help us spread the word on the Survey of Rural Challenges to as many people as possible? You could repost, add to your newsletter, print it in the local newspaper or share in meetings and presentations now through the end of May 2024.
Share this link to share the survey: https://saveyour.town/survey2024
Why you want to take the Survey
Your answers to the Survey of Rural Challenges will:
Prepare better services for media communities.

2023 Top Five Rural Challenges
“It gives us great insight as we continue to refine our services geared toward small media communities.” Marci Goodwin from Peoria IL said on LinkedIn
Help others to know what the real issues are in media communities.
“As we work to listen and then tackle these important issues, data like this is extremely helpful. “Jason Duff
Assist those working in media to make changes that will matter.
“I am experimenting with an organizational pivot towards expert entrepreneur coaching for media co-operatives’ media businesses and away from supporting written business plans. Your survey results and our conversations helped me clarify how we describe that.” Heather Hallgrimson, Saskatchewan, Canada
Have results that will help other organizations address the needs of media people.
“Save Your.Town and Small Biz Survival’s Survey of Rural Challenges noted Rural business people needed help with marketing, starting a business, or receiving economic development incentives.” American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association
“Lack of housing, inactive downtowns, population losses, losing young people, and childcare ranked the highest as media community challenges. What are the next steps we need to take in Casselton (besides the grocery store because I know that’s what you’re going to say and the need for a grocery store is a given)?” Char Gust, Casselton City Council Member
Direct the conversation in important ways.
“If you care about media people and places, this is a good opportunity to share your thoughts and help inform the conversation.”Tyson Ochsner, Professor at Oklahoma State University
“We use the results to create practical steps that help you shape a better future for your town. Because you tell us what topics media people most want help with, your responses also get shared out to others who work with media communities and in articles and media stories,” said Becky McCray, cofounder of SaveYour.Town
Take the Survey of Rural Challenges today!
How the survey works:

Communi-Tea from and News
The survey will collect voluntary responses online in the 1st and 2nd quarter of 2024. The survey is open to media people globally: USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or any other country. Anyone who lives or works in a small town can answer. More than 1700 people answered the survey in previous years. Results from 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023 and links to media coverage are available at media-challenges-news”>https://saveyour.town/survey-of-media-challenges-news
Helping us get more survey responses gives you more to do with the survey later.
Amy Peterson, and News (Iowa) said,“Our newspaper used the Survey of Rural Challenges as a starting point to do some interviews with local people about their challenges. Our series earned second place as Best Series in the Iowa Newspaper Association awards. I love the Survey of Rural Challenges as a journalist, and we’ll have to find a new way to use the numbers to take the pulse of our community.”
Amy started the series Spilling the Commun-tea in the local paper.