JOURNALISM THAT MATTERS

A Northwest conversation on the purpose and practice of journalism

“Journalism provides something unique to a culture – independent, reliable, accurate, and comprehensive information that citizens require to be free…At stake is whether, as citizens, we have access to independent information that makes it possible for us to take part in governing ourselves.”

– Bill Kovach & Tom Rosenstiel, The Elements of Journalism

The forces affecting journalism today are many and varied. They range from recent issues of media access in Afghanistan to the age-old tension between the newsroom and its business office—from coverage of racial tensions in Seattle to the role of newspaper owners in Spokane’s downtown development. The explosion of new technology creates new possibilities for audiences while leaving traditional media struggling to understand their role in a wired world. A subtle, often overlooked issue is the how a seemingly ever-present focus on conflict, tragedy, and victimization is affecting us all? Are the stories that can best serve and sustain us being told? How does a community learn, and communicate that learning?

To meet the needs of a healthy society, it is time to bring together the many faces of journalism to re-conceive its role by revisiting its purpose, its potential to serve the public and how it can best fulfill its promise in this new century.

JOURNALISM THAT MATTERS will initiate conversations and action planning in the Northwest region of the U.S., using methods such as Open Space Technology, Appreciative Inquiry, Dialogue and Conversation Cafés that have proven highly effective in other industries. The idea is to engage the entire system of journalism – reporters, editors, publishers, camera people, photographers, academics and audience, from newspapers, radio, television, and online media, including both mainstream and alternative sources – with the changing nature and definition of news in a changing world. The point is to recommit journalism to what is fundamental and to reinvent the means for connecting news with its audience. Ultimately, the goal of Journalism That Matters is to change the nature of news to a focus on what serves and sustains us as a healthy community.

DESIGN

We propose conversations that happen in many forms, some initiated at the grass roots using a “do-it-yourself kit” available via the Internet, others hosted by established organizations such as the state Associated Press, the Washington News Council or local papers, television or radio stations. The concept is to enable conversations to happen wherever the energy to pursue them exists. A “journalismthatmatters.org” web site will provide the “gathering place” for people to learn from each other what works in holding these dialogues and to continue the conversations online.

Key elements of this design were tested last year with the Associated Press Managing Editors (APME), a national newspaper organization. In January 2001, the APME board participated in an Appreciative Inquiry into journalism as its best. Based on the success of this process, the APME national conference in October included a Conversation Café, and an Open Space gathering on “Journalism that Matters.” Many said this was conference's highlight for them. Two APME board members volunteered their states as sites for additional conversations in 2002 and 2003.

Proposal highlights

This Northwest region pilot of Journalism That Matters will test a variety of conversation modes in preparation for a national or international project. It will:

· Convene or collaborate on at least one conversation among media producers each month from August, 2002 to February, 2003.

· Host at least one 2.5-day “summit” workshop to explore Journalism That Matters. The overarching purpose of the workshop is to help participants re-conceive the industry, rethink storytelling, and renew ties between journalists and audience.

· Host comparable on-line workshops.

· Work with Washington’s Whidbey Institute to ensure that the “new stories” about emerging sustainable culture are included in these discussions.

· Provide materials via the Internet for do-it-yourself conversations, initiated by anyone for whom this work has heart and meaning.

· Create an Advisory Council composed of people from key roles in the Northwest’s communication systems. This council will be diverse in age, ethnicity, gender, medium and other factors deemed critical to reflect the best of what’s possible in journalism.

To keep the conversations on point, we will:

· Provide access to facilitators familiar with the project, making them available to grass roots participants who wish to initiate larger, more complex gatherings of journalists and audience.

· Engage a variety of journalism organizations from all media (e.g., Washington News Council, Online News Association, Society of Professional Journalists, Radio and Television News Directors Association (RTNDA), and alternative media organizations) to enable access to the conversations through many channels

· Draw on the full range of diversity and expertise from across the industry (e.g., writers, editors, photographers, camera operators, publishers, academics, industry analysts, consumers). Draw on the full range of diversity in ethnicity, age, and other critical disciplines (e.g., futurists, organizational development specialists, Wall Street analysts, etc.). We will provide travel grants to members of smaller news organizations who otherwise could not participate.

· Use the Internet as an on-going means to supplement interaction that occurs through statewide and grass-roots meetings.

· Be as flexible as the new approaches to journalism the project hopes to stimulate.

Evaluation

The Advisory Council will develop specific evaluation processes to assess the value of the conversations to participants and the tangible outcomes of this project (e.g., shifts in the nature of stories covered, the relationships between journalists and their local communities, perceptions about journalists by consumers, impact of stories, etc.).