Rural teens seek (but rarely find) themselves in local news coverage

There is a heightened interest in what goes on in the heads and hearts of modern teenagers – dubbed "Generation Z" (Gen Z) – particularly by legacy media. But teenagers from rural communities, especially in the Midwest, are not often factored into mainstream Gen Z coverage. This can be attributed to a number of factors, such as living in a news desert, living in the middle of the country, and-or unpredictable Wi-Fi access that hampers engagement with news and information sources.

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