• Almost half of Spaniards (47%) are very interested in local news, fifteen points less than in 2020 (62%).

• Young people under 24 years of age are the generation that is the most unaware of local information (28%) and preferably consume it through digital channels.

The local and regional press enjoys good health in Spain, both in terms of credibility and audience. It is not possible to describe the map of information consumption in our country without focusing on this subject of news. For this reason, this year we wanted to delve deeper into the state of local information. The data show that almost half of Spaniards (47%) declare to be very interested in the news of their immediate environment. Despite being a B figure, it has fallen 15 points since 2020 (62%), which shows that not even this subject of information so highly valued by citizens has been spared the effects of the loss of interest and trust.

The generational analysis of the local news consumer subject sample a revealing trend: while for older generations the local press remains vital, for younger ones it has become dispensable. The data reveal that older respondents maintain the traditional link to the local, where the local newspaper and news about the town hall are part of their news routine. For them, the physical territory remains the main stage of their daily lives, and their media consumption reflects this connection. It is no coincidence that interest remains consistently high from the age of 45 onwards (between 47% and 55%). At the other end of the scale, younger people have the most disconnected profile : only 28% of 18-24 year olds openly admit to being interested in this information. This figure raises some questions about the future of local journalism. Is this a definitive disengagement or a temporary gap? The data suggest that as age increases, there is a certain progressive reengagement, as interest grows both in the 25-34 age group (40%) and in the 35-44 age group (47%), although it never reaches the levels of the older generations (above 50%).

The analysis by sex does not sample major differences and men and women report a very similar interest in local information. This parity contrasts with the marked differences that usually appear in other areas of information consumption and reflects that the relevance of local information transcends gender divisions.

Economic and educational level modulates the interest in the local area.

Interest in local news not only traces generational lines, but is also influenced by economic and educational level. The data show that engagement with local news is not only a question of geographic proximity, but also of material and cultural resources. Thus, between different income levels, the difference is clear: while 55% of people with high incomes say they are very interested in local news, this percentage drops to 39% in the case of those with low incomes. This 16-point gap suggests that those with greater resources tend to be more involved in local information, either because they have more time, more tools or simply because they perceive that local news directly affects their interests.

When we look at the educational factor, the picture becomes more nuanced. Unlike what happens with income, here the differences are less marked. Interest remains in a narrower range, between 44%Education basicEducation ) and 49%average and highEducation ), with a slight drop among postgraduates (47%).

When the two variables are crossed, a more complex picture emerges. The data suggest that economic status has a more direct impact on interest in the local than educational status. While high income seems to trigger greater attention to the immediate environment -perhaps due to a combination of stability, property and civic participation-, Education operates in a more ambivalent way. It forms more critical citizens, but not necessarily more focused on their immediate reality.

The weight of trust and information interest

Spaniards' relationship with local news is not only explained by demographic or socioeconomic factors. The data reveal that trust in the media and general interest in information act as powerful magnets that attract -or repel- attention to what is close to home. When these elements come into play, the differences become greater.

Among those who have a high level of trust in news in general, 60% sample a high level of interest in local news. This figure plummets to 42% among the most skeptical, creating a gap of 18 points. The patron saint repeats itself almost identically when it comes to trust in specific news items consulted by the respondent (59% vs. 42%), indicating that the erosion of distrust is occurring at all levels of information consumption.

In terms of general interest in news, the gap is even wider. Those who are very interested in current affairs show a 65% commitment to local news, a figure that drops to a mere 17% among those disinterested in news in general. This 48-point difference makes news interest the main predictor of local news consumption. Disinterest follows the same logic, but inverted: only 7% of those very interested in news reject local information, compared to 40% of those who are not interested in current affairs. This ratio of almost 1 to 6 paints a picture where local journalism appears as a collateral victim of a broader information disconnection.

The great disconnection of the youngest

The comparison between 2020 and 2025 reveals a steady erosion of interest in local news that affects all generations, but hits the youngest particularly hard. Thus, respondents aged 18 to 24 remain the generation most oblivious to local news, with only 28% interest in 2025 (compared to 35% in 2020). This drop of 7 points, although smaller in absolute terms, is alarming because of an already small base.

In the case of young adults (25-34 years old), the decline in interest in local news is 17 points, from 57% in 2020 to 40% in 2025. This group, which should represent the natural succession of local news consumers, seems to be adopting the patterns of younger generations rather than those of their elders.

Adults aged 35 to 54, who in 2020 formed the hard core of local interest (between 59% and 67%), have seen their interest deflate to 47-52%. And a similar patron saint appears in the 55-64 age group, where interest has dropped from 70% to 50%, with the largest relative drop of all ages (20 points). This decline is especially significant because it affects the economically active population, which has traditionally sustained the viability of local media.

Finally, among the over-65s, interest remains relatively high (55%), although it has dropped 16 points since 2020. This generation, which at the height of the pandemic showed a 71% commitment, remains the most loyal to proximity information, but even they are beginning to show signs of fatigue.

Events, culture and service information, the most consulted topics

Spaniards demonstrate a diverse appetite for local information that surpasses the international average in several respects.

Local events (crime, accidents) are the category most consulted by respondents (52%, three points above the international average ). This is followed by news on local cultural activities and events (45%) and information on services (urban transport, garbage collection, municipal incidents, etc.), consulted by 44% of respondents. In these last two areas, the preferences of Spaniards are significantly higher than the average for the other countries analyzed (around 37%, seven points lower). As can be seen, interest in local issues is not limited to the negative, but cultural events -concerts, exhibitions, fairs- show the friendly face of the local and service information connects with the ordinary needs of citizens.

The same cannot be said of news related to politics or local government. Only a third of Spaniards consulted this subject of information (33%), a figure very similar to the international average (32%). Classified ads for the sale/purchase of products or services (25%) and local sports (21%) also occupy a secondary position, with figures almost identical to the global average. Their presence, although a minority, confirms that the local continues to be a space where the useful (buying/selling) and the identitary (local teams) maintain stable niches of interest.

Finally, the only area where Spain (15%) falls below the international average (19%) is in the enquiry for information on local social life (weddings, births, celebrations, etc.).

subject of information consulted: the generation gap of 35 years old

Access to local information sample very clear generational differences. For those over 35, the local area is mainly a space for management (services), surveillance (events), entertainment (culture) and participation (politics), while those under 35 have a more selective and social relationship with the local area. Although they are less interested in institutional or security aspects, younger people especially value information on social life and events.

As can be seen in the graph above, local events arouse notably more interest among the older segment (56%) than among the younger ones (38%). Similarly, cultural activities and events attract 47% of those over 35, compared to 37% of those under 35. In terms of information on services (transport, timetables, formalities, etc.), the over-35s are again in the lead (46%) compared with 38% of younger people. Interest in politics and local government also increases with age: only 24% of those under 35 seek this subject of information, while 35% of those over 35 do so. All these differences possibly reflect divergences in the daily needs of one and the other generational group , as well as different consumption patterns: older users resort more frequently to traditional channels where this subject of data is usually present.

In the rest of the topics, such as classified ads or sports information, the generation gap is smaller. However, news related to social life presents a singularity: 20% of those under 35 years of age enquiry social diary or leisure information, compared to only 13% of those older than 35 years of age.

Favorite sources according to local information subject . Spain and DNR-45

Finally, the analysis of local information consumption delves into the subject of preferred sources (media, search engines and/or social networks, specialized app/websites or communication staff) to access each local subject . The comparative analysis reveals that users in Spain and DNR-45 as a whole show differentiated patterns according to the subject of content: although Spain maintains a clear preference for traditional media, especially in certain topics, it does not escape the growing influence of digital platforms that redefine the local information ecosystem.

As the graph above shows, Spain maintains a high level of trust in traditional local media for information on events, politics, sports and social life, but is beginning to lose ground to digital platforms in areas such as culture, classifieds or service information. In contrast, the rest of the countries sample a more advanced transition to social networks and search engines.

Local events -crimes, accidents, emergencies-: Spaniards place their majority trust in traditional media (54%), especially the local newspaper (25%), as opposed to social networks or search engines (19%).

Municipal policyIn Spain, more than half of users (53%) prefer to consult this issue in conventional media, as opposed to social networks (15%) or search engines (11%). It is worth highlighting the case of radio as a particularly valued source in Spain (14%) compared to the global average (9%).

Sports information: more than half of the respondents choose traditional media to get information on local sports news (51%), compared to social networks (18%) and search engines (10%), which allow more immediate and personalized access to results, transfers or rumors.

Social life -information on events, meetings or community activities-: traditional media still retain a B (48%) but their weight is clearly lower than in other categories. Local newspapers are the most valued source for following these issues (26%), followed by social networks (16%) and staff communication (12%).

Culture, product information and service information: respondents prefer to get information on these topics through social networks and/or search engines. For both cultural events and product sales and purchases, social networks are the main source (25% and 23%, respectively). Finally, in the category of service information -such as transportation, timetables, public notices or administrative procedures-, the most valued source is the application or specialized website (32%), followed by search engines and social networks (around 14%).

International comparison

With 47% of its population interested in local information, Spain is seven percentage points above the global average (40%). This figure alone is already significant, but it becomes even more relevant when compared with its surroundings. Within Southern Europe, Spain is the country with the highest interest in local news, ahead of Greece (44%), Turkey (40%), Portugal (38%), Italy (34%) and Croatia (33%). If we extend the comparison to Europe as a whole, Spain rubs shoulders with European nations known for their strong tradition of local press and civic participation, such as Germany (48%), Austria (49%) and Ireland (49%), and clearly outperforms other major nations such as France (44%) or the United Kingdom (32%).

Overall, the data show that interest in local news is stronger in some regions (such as Africa, Latin America and Northern Europe), while in others (such as East Asia or Eastern Europe) attention to the immediate environment is more limited. In general, development countries show greater interest in local news than advanced economies, although the Nordic nations, despite their development, maintain a strong attachment to the immediate environment. In contrast, the most advanced Asian economies (Japan, South Korea, Taiwan) show the lowest levels of interest (around 20%).