As the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily life, a large local news organization faced the challenge of delivering real-time public health updates on evolving guidelines, vaccines, and economic relief programs. Traditional press coverage proved insufficient, and non-English-speaking communities faced additional barriers to timely information.

A multi-channel digital engagement campaign was launched to address these gaps, featuring:

• Live Q&A sessions with public health officials to address residents’ concerns

• A Spanish-language “Chat en Vivo” series to ensure equitable access to critical updates

• Data-driven social media messaging that allowed officials to adapt communications in real-time based on public sentiment

The live chat series attracted over 1 million viewers, with engagement rates 300% higher than traditional government updates. Multilingual outreach boosted public trust, with 95% of participants reporting increased confidence in government messaging. The initiative became a recognized model for digital crisis communications.

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