WBUR’s Post

SUPPORT BY CLICKING : https://lnkd.in/dMH6fnx5 Please support us by raising your voice #ourvoiceyourpower In a world where independent journalism is facing unprecedented challenges, our campaign stands as a beacon for the preservation of local media. Why should you care? Because local journalism is the lifeblood of our communities, serving as the watchdogs of truth and accountability. As we witness the decline of local media outlets, we’re losing more than just news coverage – we’re losing our ability to speak with a united voice, to hold power to account, and to maintain the fabric of our democracy. Our campaign aims to shed light on the stark reality of this crisis, compelling you to confront the consequences of a media landscape devoid of local voices. Local media builds culture and underwrites our values, celebrating the invaluable contributions of local journalists and underscoring the importance of diverse representation in the media. It’s not just about reporting the news; it’s about fostering transparency, accountability, and informed civic participation. https://lnkd.in/dMH6fnx5

In less than 5 years, together with an incredible team of talented folks, we've built Spotlight PA into an unmatched statewide hub for high-quality investigative and public-service journalism. We now have 120+ newsrooms across the state signed to license agreements to republish our work at no cost, and we saw the power of that network during the recent primary. We produced 42 articles on the primary election, which received more than 350,000 pageviews via more than 200,000 unique users on spotlightpa.org. Together with our partner network, we estimate upwards of 700,000 pageviews and 400,000 unique users on our election content in total, not including the many other forms in which they are published, such as print editions and radio broadcasts. Some of our voter guides had an average engagement time of up to four and a half minutes! In a crowded state attorney general race, we launched an interactive “Your Next AG” quiz to help voters identify the candidate for attorney general who most aligned with their values and priorities. More than 15,000 people completed the quiz, with an engaged time of more than 3 minutes, and yielding more than 2,000 new newsletter sign-ups. More than 300 people attended our virtual civic engagement events on the election: a live interview with Pa.’s Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt; a guide to the row races; and an interview with Nick Troiano, author of The Primary Solution, a new book on how partisan primaries are fueling the nation’s divide and what can be done about it. We also co-hosted a live, in-person “Job Interview” event for the candidates for state attorney general in Philadelphia in partnership with The Philadelphia Citizen, WURD Radio and 6abc WPVI-TV Philadelphia. We debuted a first-of-its-kind in the nation, AI-powered election chat tool we’ve been developing with support from American Journalism Project to more quickly and directly answer election-related questions and connect readers with our reporting. We opened the tool to a beta test group of 250 Spotlight PA subscribers in the days before the primary and received overwhelming praise and encouragement to continue its development. We plan to make a version of the tool fully public ahead of the November general election. We’ve also been invited to present about it at conferences across the country this summer. Finally, thanks to support from the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Newsroom Safety Across America initiative, Spotlight PA brought election reporting safety workshops to 36 reporters and editors in the Harrisburg and Pittsburgh region in partnership with WITF, Inc., LNP | LancasterOnline, and Pittsburgh Media Partnership. I couldn't be more proud of how this team continues to punch above its weight and serve the entire news ecosystem in PA — and how the public continues to respond with its support and encouragement. Onwards!

Source tracking allows you to explain your mission and your journalism to readers and helps you build trust. At a time of declining trust in media, when it seems as if our communities need us more than ever, a little self-examination can go a long way to restoring trust with your whole community. Read the latest piece in the "Centering Community Voices" series by Shay Totten here: https://lnkd.in/eFqa6cjH #localnews #sourcetracking

Today is #SolutionsJournalismDay, an occasion to reflect on the importance of creating journalism that tells the whole story through evidenced-based, equitable reporting. Last month, at our 2023 Trust Summit, David Bornstein, co-founder and CEO at Solutions Journalism Network, participated in a panel discussion with other media experts. They talked about the importance of humanizing the government and how federal agencies, media, and other sectors can contribute to rebuilding the public’s trust by countering harmful narratives about our government and public servants. "One of the things we found is that humility is a really important part of building trust. There are so many things that people are dealing with now. There's actually a really big opportunity to rebuild trust in journalism and in government by speaking directly to the pain that is out there in the land." 📽️ Watch the full panel: https://hubs.la/Q026SCt_0

It’s a big year for politics - locally, regionally and nationally. The QT’s plans reflect that. We can’t wait to get stuck in to the key issues affecting our region and hold the decision makers to account. As an example, earlier today (on the excellent Politics North) Con Cllr Liam Bones suggested there needed to be greater scrutiny of - and challenges to - regional mayors. Noted. That’s why we’re here. Whether it’s regional mayors or local councillors, The QT will look to scrutinise and challenge across the board. We’re proud to be politically neutral and determined to encourage positive conversations with our politicians. Watch this space. #politics #regionalaffairs #northeastengland

A little overview on what we've been up to at The Groove since we launched in July: "We’re a group of longtime New York City journalists and we’re building an independent journalist-owned newsroom from the ground up. For more than a decade, we’ve watched countless local outlets fold altogether or wither away into shadows of their former selves, even when New Yorkers needed information and community the most. (We’ve also worked at a lot of them while all this was going down.) Our city deserves better; New Yorkers deserve more. We want to create a site, and a community, that people can turn to when they need help navigating this big beautiful mess of a city. Somewhere they can trust for service journalism that will show them how to get and give help, and a place they’ll turn to when they want reminders that fun is a core New York City value. New York Groove will have an overall mission of making our readers better New Yorkers in every way that phrase implies. We’ll highlight service journalism, mutual aid, explainers, labor movements, can’t-miss events, and more features pushing back on the idea that only an elite few have the power to shape the future of this city. We know people are feeling lonely and disconnected after the pandemic, and frustrated at how institutions let us down over the past few years. In short, we’re building a newsroom designed to help New Yorkers become more engaged with the city around them, not merely enraged with it." https://lnkd.in/gCfiBCEP

📣 What if the future of local news was vibrant, powered by public-private partnerships and government funding? Wisconsin is leading with groundbreaking legislation that could serve as a blueprint for states like Kansas and Missouri. Spearheaded by Rep. Jimmy Anderson, alongside Rep. Jodi Emerson and Sen. Mark Spreitzer, Wisconsin's bold legislative package aims to revitalize local journalism through innovative funding models. This package, including a $20-million Civic Information Consortium Board, journalism fellowships at the University of Wisconsin, and tax credits for news subscribers, addresses the critical industry crisis. With support from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, these initiatives are a significant step towards transforming local news into a sustainable, essential pillar of democracy. As we face the reality that a quarter of America's newspapers have disappeared in the last 20 years, leaving many in 'news deserts,' Wisconsin's efforts offer hope. This is more than preserving journalism; it's about fortifying our communities against misinformation and disconnection. Let's envision a future where similar measures in Kansas, Missouri, and beyond ensure that local news not only survives but thrives. #LocalNews #Innovation #PublicPrivatePartnership #Democracy The Kansas City Beacon, The Wichita Beacon Wisconsin Watch

In a world where independent journalism is facing unprecedented challenges, our campaign stands as a beacon for the preservation of local media. Why should you care? Because local journalism is the lifeblood of our communities, serving as the watchdogs of truth and accountability. As we witness the decline of local media outlets, we’re losing more than just news coverage – we’re losing our ability to speak with a united voice, to hold power to account, and to maintain the fabric of our democracy. Our campaign aims to shed light on the stark reality of this crisis, compelling you to confront the consequences of a media landscape devoid of local voices. Local media builds culture and underwrites our values, celebrating the invaluable contributions of local journalists and underscoring the importance of diverse representation in the media. It’s not just about reporting the news; it’s about fostering transparency, accountability, and informed civic participation. CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT: https://lnkd.in/dMH6fnx5

In an era marked by misinformation and the decline of traditional media, the preservation of local news has emerged as a critical endeavor. As a foundation committed to the well-being of society, we recognize the urgent need to support and sustain local journalism. By investing in local news, we can strengthen democracy, empower communities, and foster an informed citizenry. That’s why we are joining Press Forward, a robust coalition of funders who aim to infuse local journalism with a billion dollars over the next five years. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eBG_2gn9   #PressForward #InformedJournalism

In a world where independent journalism is facing unprecedented challenges, our campaign stands as a beacon for the preservation of local media. Why should you care? Because local journalism is the lifeblood of our communities, serving as the watchdogs of truth and accountability. As we witness the decline of local media outlets, we’re losing more than just news coverage – we’re losing our ability to speak with a united voice, to hold power to account, and to maintain the fabric of our democracy. Our campaign aims to shed light on the stark reality of this crisis, compelling you to confront the consequences of a media landscape devoid of local voices. Local media builds culture and underwrites our values, celebrating the invaluable contributions of local journalists and underscoring the importance of diverse representation in the media. It’s not just about reporting the news; it’s about fostering transparency, accountability, and informed civic participation. https://lnkd.in/dMH6fnx5