In Newton, Kansas, less than 3 percent of teachers are non-white, while the student body is 38 percent non-white. For reporters at The Newton Kansan, this discrepancy is an essential story for their community – and one they believe every community newspaper should be tracking.
On April 20, 1999, Columbine High School suffered a tragedy unlike anything most people had experienced at that time. What happened in that small Colorado town reverberated across the country and around the globe, making people everywhere stop and pay attention. Twenty years later, Columbine feels like the start of an epidemic to many people – but to those still living there, the only option is to continue moving forward every day. When the anniversary approached last year, the editors at the Canyon Courier knew they couldn’t let the 13 innocent people who lost their lives that day be forgotten by their neighbors.
Challenging authority to ensure an informed and engaged citizenry is the bedrock of the journalistic profession. For Sidney Herald editor Amy Efta, that task came all too soon after taking her position at the local Montana newspaper.
The News Media Alliance today filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in support of Oracle in the Google v. Oracle (docket no. 18-956) case concerning Google’s unauthorized copying of parts of Oracle’s computer code when developing applications for the Android operating system. The Alliance brief rebuts Google’s argument that its use of Oracle’s code was justified under the four-part fair use test used by U.S. courts, drawing comparisons to Google’s widespread and unauthorized use of news media content and its effect on the news media industry.
Focusing on the impact journalism has doesn’t only affect the community, but the newsroom, as well. Guest blogger Anjanette Delgado discusses how a focus on impact can create new roles for journalists, and new ways of thinking about how we run our newsrooms.
On February 19, 2020, Alliance President & CEO David Chavern will testify at the Department of Justice Workshop on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
The News Media Alliance has named the (Fort Collins) Coloradoan, The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) and the Chicago Tribune as the recipients of the 2019 John P. Murray Award for Excellence in Audience Development.
While all journalism makes an impact, not all journalism is designed with impact in mind. Guest blogger Anjanette Delgado explored what would happen if journalists considered their impact during the process of researching and writing their stories, and how that can play out for the reporters and the community they serve.
Ken Doctor did a recent piece on “epiphanies” that caused me to think of a few of my own. Ken is right that the ultimate answer lies in the consistent production of great news content. But as we all know, quality local journalism can only continue if there is a business model to support it.
Most journalists get into the business to help make a difference in their communities, whether that means reporting on the local school board or the president of the United States. But how many of us actually discuss the differences our reporting makes with our readers? It’s a practice that more publishers and journalists should tackle.
