Citizen and community news
A case study: Photojournalism and its value to a community
While I spent time thinking about the numbers surrounding my project, looking through data and designing new ways to collect it, something more palpable happened that strikes right at the heart of my main question: What’s the value of strong photojournalism to a community? For more than 41 years, the people of Jasper, Indiana, picked … Continued
La Voz de Chatham
During my RJI innovation fellowship at the Chatham News + Record this summer, I worked on a variety of audience engagement-related projects. One of the efforts that particularly excited me was a project made possible by a Facebook Journalism Project COVID-19 Local News Relief Grant, which the News + Record received right before the start … Continued
Afro-American’s archives reveal the fight for Black women’s right to vote — and the battles beyond
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Reynolds Journalism Institute or the University of Missouri. The Black women of Baltimore weren’t content to simply celebrate the ratification of the 19th Amendment, 100 years go this month. They intended to use its power. … Continued
Redefining local journalism: What is news?
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Reynolds Journalism Institute or the University of Missouri. Since the advent of the Internet, many people have increasingly wondered: What is “news” in a universe of infinite information? What is a journalist’s role when anyone … Continued
Social enterprise leader urges local media to embrace the role of educator, anchor institution
Maurice Jones says running the Virginian-Pilot was one of the most fun jobs he’s ever had. That was years before the newspaper was sold to TRONC which was sold to Tribune Publishing which barely thwarted a takeover by the hedge fund Alden Global Capital, known for buying and pillaging local newspapers. Jones left the Pilot … Continued
We’re meeting our audience where they are. Now what?
Early on in our existence we realized we were facing a challenge. Our reporting was about city, state and federal immigration related policies and how they were failing the New York residents they were aiming to serve. However, our metrics told us our stories were not always reaching the people the stories were about. I … Continued
Local communities and local news need a new economic narrative: Why not create it together?
If local news is so critical to the health, economic and civic success of a community, why are local news organizations an afterthought in economic development conversations? And what would it take to change that?
Photographing vulnerable populations in public spaces: The ethics of protest coverage
Panelists Carlos Gonzalez, Brent Lewis and Tara Pixley lead a discussion on this timely and historical topic
Archives: Bringing curiosity and context to content
“My advice for any reporter or photographer who wants to work with their news organization’s archives is to bring to the task exactly what you bring to your daily reporting — a sense of curiosity,” said Kori Rumore Finley of The Chicago Tribune.
5 ways that local newsrooms can utilize TikTok
On a platform that consists primarily of dance and comedy videos, is there space for news?