Sharing rural research through local media
Farmers in rural communities are unlikely to be reading the Australian Journal of Rural Health — unless it suddenly adds a long-range weather forecast. But rural research is often done for communities, not just for academic journals.
Across Australia and New Zealand there are still hundreds of local and regional newspapers, in print and digital forms. A 2022 Australian parliamentary inquiry into regional newspapers noted that they are often the main source of local information for rural and remote communities. Rural journalism isn’t just entertainment; it helps communities understand themselves and the issues affecting them.
But for many clinician-researchers, engagement with the media feels risky. There is often a worry that stories will focus on what went wrong or on the resources we don’t have. At the same time, clinicians carry real responsibilities around privacy and confidentiality. In smaller towns, reports in local media can feel very personal — everyone reads the local paper, and it can feel as though people are judging you as you walk through the supermarket.
Fortunately, rural research gives clinicians an easier way to engage with the media. When research focuses on local hospitals, health literacy, or community-specific problems, reaching local readers, leaders and funders becomes part of the work. That’s really what research translation means — connecting findings with the people who might use them or act on them. Funders such as the NHMRC increasingly expect researchers to show how their work reaches stakeholders and creates real-world impact. Local media can be one of the simplest ways to do that.
Rural journalism is sometimes underestimated — something that may feel familiar to rural clinicians and researchers — but local journalists can be strong long-term allies when you have stories worth telling. Sharing your research through local media is one practical way to translate your work beyond the journal article. The tips below offer a few simple ways to start.
Helping Journalists Tell Your Story
There are many good resources on explaining research for general audiences through the media (see links below). These five tips focus on how to make a rural journalist’s job easier — and improve the chances your story will be published.
1. Give journalists a human story — and a picture
If a patient, participant or other person affected can share their experience and be photographed, the story will be much stronger. If not, use an anonymised anecdote and offer a photo opportunity with the research team in a local clinical setting.
2. Make it local
Show how the research connects to local issues — whether it highlights a problem or offers a solution. If the work is broader, explain how local researchers are contributing to national or international efforts.
3. Work with newsroom timing
A short email pitch is usually enough — a few sentences explaining the research, why it matters now, and who to contact. Stories are easier to place when the research is new or linked to a current issue. Be ready for quick turnarounds.
4. Build relationships, not one-off stories
In rural areas you will often deal with the same journalists again. Being approachable and reliable helps. Over time they may also come back to you for background or comment — so expect the relationship to work both ways.
5. Be clear which hat you’re wearing
If you have a university role, it is often simplest to use it when speaking about research. Speaking as a hospital employee usually requires formal approval, so make sure the journalist is clear about which role and title you want used.
The Australian Prevention Partnership Centre. (2022) Engaging with the Media
First published in the RRECN Newsletter (March 2026).
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