RJI news
Lessons from a viral obituary
Once in a while, notice of someone’s death takes on a life all its own — the addict who was also a mother with a beautiful voice, the hard-living, sweet-souled uncle, the former beauty queen grandma who wrote her own obituary. Three months into my RJI fellowship experimenting with obituaries, I’ve been thinking a lot about what … Continued
Amazon’s win toward drone deliveries will benefit journalists
It’s not clear who was more excited about the announcement from the FAA Monday that the agency was granting approval to retail giant Amazon to operate as an air carrier with a fleet of drone delivery vehicles: online shopping addicts or drone nerds. The move by the FAA certifies Amazon Air — the company’s name … Continued
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
Interactive video: Day-in-the-life of frontline worker and their family
Thousands of medical workers have traveled to various parts of the country to aid COVID-19 patients. We asked one family of five to share what their typical day has been like during the pandemic, for the essential worker and her loved ones left behind at home. Visit the interactive video by clicking on the image … Continued
Missouri School of Journalism’s Watchdog Writers Group announces first fellows and student reporters
Authors and students will produce books and articles on criminal justice reform, the farm crisis gripping rural America, and the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement.
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
RJI competition challenges college students to help newsrooms reconnect with audiences
Newsrooms in the U.S. have the opportunity to pair up with journalism students from across the country to find new ways to engage with readers during the 14th annual RJI Student Innovation Competition.
Identifying and overcoming challenges with inclusive storytelling
When I proposed my hands-on diversity training program for newsrooms, I thought getting media partners on board would be the biggest challenge. I have been pleasantly surprised at the interest and willingness to participate, but overwhelmed by the need for this project which is in even greater demand because of this seminal moment. In my … Continued
Creating a voice in podcasting
Podcasts create an audience connection by connecting your community with a voice from your newsroom. This can diversify your audience’s experience through audio accessibility which gives you the opportunity to reach new parts of your community. One of The Washington Post’s most popular podcasts is “Can He Do That?” It discusses the powers and limitations of the President, and how … Continued
The secrets of successful newsletters
From subject lines to welcome campaigns, these are the most important things to get right