Final answer:
The most engagement on mobile for local content is typically seen in categories related to police, schools, and local sports. Digital versions of local newspapers, exemplified by AOL's Patch.com, cater to this demand by focusing on affluent communities and producing relevant local stories, attracting significant readership.
Step-by-step explanation:
When assessing which local content categories are seeing the most engagement on mobile devices, it's important to note three significant areas: police, schools, and local sports. Traditional print media such as newspapers have pivoted to their digital versions to maintain audience engagement. Although comprehensive coverage has taken a hit due to lost advertising revenues, the emergence of digital platforms like AOL's Patch.com, which operates through sites dedicated to affluent communities, shows a focused approach by equipping journalists with tech tools to cover community news effectively. These journalists have produced stories gaining significant attention, like the 2009 hazing incident report in Millburn, New Jersey.
In addition to news, mobile phone users frequently engage in messaging and phone calls, with as many as 54 percent using their devices primarily for messaging. While such functionalities are a staple of mobile phone use, the engagement with local content, particularly in the form of digital yellow pages, is noteworthy.
Overall, the most popular posts on platforms like Patch.com tend to be related to local police reports, school news, and information on local sports events. This popularity may be due to the immediate relevance and impact of these categories on a user's community and personal life, reflecting the value of real-time, localized information in mobile engagement.