Solutions Journalism Network’s Post

When I was in local journalism, ‘community’ was admittedly an easier thing to get your arms around. I remember extending an invitation to any subscriber to drop into the newsroom and attend our morning news meetings. The logic was that, as subscribers, readers are shareholders of the work we do — we survive thanks to their patronage. In national media, pretty sure I'd be breaking fire code if I asked 50 million readers to pop over for a cup of coffee. But scale doesn’t give us a pass. It just means we have to be more creative in how readers engage with us and take part in our journalistic mission. This year, we're leaning into the things I loved most about local news — that sense of participation and community — and applying it to Newsweek's national readership. Interacting with readers, engaging and adapting to their comments makes for good business — it boosts loyalty, return frequency and ultimately ARPU, but, more important, it's good for journalism and restoring public trust in media. Commentary in the Poynter Institute:

🌍 Citizen Journalism: The Future of Storytelling! ✍️ In a world where the internet empowers everyone to share their voice, the narrative of news is shifting dramatically. 📰 No longer do a handful of editors control the headlines—we, the people, are shaping the stories that matter most! Platforms like X are driving this transformation, making it possible for anyone to participate in journalism, share their perspectives, and spark global conversations. 💬 This isn't just a trend; it's a revolution in how news is created, shared, and consumed. 🚀 Why does this matter? 📣 It's by the people, for the people. ⚡ Transparency and diversity in perspectives. 🌟 Everyone gets a seat at the table. Whether you're sharing insights, uncovering truths, or just expressing your viewpoint—your voice counts. So, let's keep writing, questioning, and amplifying what matters. Citizen journalism is here to stay, and it's changing the game. 🙌 💡 What are your thoughts on the rise of citizen journalism? #CitizenJournalism #FutureOfMedia #VoiceForAll #TransparencyMatters #DigitalRevolution

On the Spin Sucks blog, Gini Dietrich discusses Twitch, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts and shares what you need to know about each as it pertains to journalism. https://ow.ly/CH4o50RJWyz

In this week's Behind the Blog, I wrote about the strange feeling of watching people openly speculate about whether 404 Media will succeed or fail. We’ve gotten a lot of press since launching, all of it very good and charitable and optimistic, including an article that came out in the Columbia Journalism Review yesterday. In it, a journalism professor says, “The best journalists in the world may not know anything about running a company. It’s a much different ballgame when you are talking about keeping on the lights, as opposed to making sure your FOIA doesn’t go years and years without an answer.” It is a different ballgame. I never thought I’d own part of a business, and it wasn’t necessarily a dream of mine. And if the state of the industry wasn’t so absolute shit, and I didn’t believe in this being one of very few ways to keep journalism alive and journalists thriving, and if I didn’t have the other three to do this with... I would never have imagined doing it. But the people “keeping on the lights” at many major publications today are frankly inept. They’re so detached from what journalism is, why it’s valuable, and what people actually want from it that they buy outlets and brands they seem to actively hate and turn once-stellar newsrooms into shell-shocked dog food factories. None of my co-founders at 404 went to business school, or journalism school for that matter, but I think we’re doing ok. The “ballgame” those people are playing is like betting on Dizzy Bat with other people’s cash. It’s not the same. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eCMVvrZk

Journalism on the rise? So many interesting insights in the Summer 2024 OnPoynt report “Values Rising: Trends and traction in journalism and the news industry, a report from The Poynter Institute.”

FYI: Advertising on news websites means tapping into a highly engaged audience. But understandably, advertisers have concerns. DV News Accelerator was created to provide brands more control over what news content and webpages their ads get place, so they can advertise alongside brand safe and suitable content. Check out the full blog here written by DV's CEO ⬇️

Jules Kendrick, TAG, sat down with Charlotte Dewar, IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisation), and Owen Meredith, News Media Association, at #AOPCRUNCH to talk about the role of the regulator, responsible journalism, and educating audiences. As an industry, we have to do a better job to tell the story behind journalism creation and to ensure that people understand it. There can be a tendency to think about media literacy as something to be taught in schools, but it’s a cross-demographic challenge that needs varied and targeted strategies to future-proof journalism. One route to talking about journalism is to use topics people are already engaged in. For example, there is already interest in a discussion about how domestic abuse is portrayed, and ensuring that comments from the aggressor aren’t the headline. These stories create an opportunity to open up discussions about journalistic standards and integrity because the audience is already engaged and this can then be built on. Likewise, local journalism creates a foundation from which to grow trust in media. Typically, people are more engaged and trusting of local journalism – partly because it is seen to have less of a political agenda when compared to national publications. By building on that powerful, engaged audience, we can work towards a future where we can continue investing that trust into frontline journalism. https://lnkd.in/emryaEe4 #misinformation #disinformation #digitalpublishing

Journalism isn't dead; it's evolving. The pursuit of truth and the need for fact-checking will remain essential, but the platforms where people seek that information are changing. Increasingly, individuals are turning away from large media outlets and instead consuming news from independent sources. As a result, the responsibility of fact-checking has shifted from major news organizations to those who report and tell stories on smaller platforms, especially social media. Is smaller better? Ultimately, that’s for you to decide.

We already know that good journalism helps us make more informed decisions in our daily lives, and make sense of our increasingly complex world. What's drawn my attention lately been interested in is how good, community-centered journalism can be used to creatively address local issues – in other words, a foundation for a new design practice. Especially when we commit to creating spaces for residents to make sense of issues together, I believe we can channel that local wisdom into solutions that work towards more equitable cities. Read more in this month's update from LETS Studio: https://lnkd.in/gjQ5wD-j

In today's fast-paced digital world, where information is constantly at our fingertips, the importance of local journalism often gets overshadowed by global headlines and viral content. However, localnews, like Neuse News, remains a vital part of our communities, providing stories that resonate with us on a personal level and ensuring that we stay informed about the issues that directly impact #communityimpact #importanceoflocalnews #kristydkelly #localjournalism #localnews