When in doubt, keep asking your audience.
In times of uncertainty, help your audience find answers.
As journalists and community builders, this is an opportunity to continue to serve our communities in times on unknown. Here at Hearken, we’ve built a company, community, and a business model around asking good questions, and then the listening and relationships that are possible when we listen. Here’s what we’re seeing right now from newsrooms that are continuing to use public-powered reporting to report. We are also sharing some ideas we’re seeing that maybe you could adapt, too. And don’t forget to keep the engagement feedback loop going strong.
First, Invite Feedback
Even though the election is over, questions still abound. There’s more newsrooms can do during this time to engage our audiences. Here are some great ideas that we saw from folks in our network about how to keep inviting feedback from your audiences.
Here’s an idea from Penny Riordan, offering that newsrooms could serve as a moderator between political sides.
The question of election fraud is a big looming concept, and journalists can help break it down for our audiences who might be feeling overwhelmed, or confused. Hearken’s own Bridget Thoreson suggests that newsrooms could help their audiences through this challenging conversation.
Rachel Glickhouse from ProPublica shared this easy-to-replicate idea from the Texas Tribune.
Second, Use Feedback
WBEZ has a stellar example of how they took what they heard their audience wanted and empowered them to take action. They took the Citizen’s Agenda idea and ran with it by creating a guide for who is can change things in Chicago.
“The idea is to tackle local issues in bite-size chunks: What’s at stake? What’s been tried before? Is there any legislation up for consideration? Type in your address to see who has a say over the topic in your district…”
WBEZ points its audience directly to the people who can make change, and then provides reporting and research about the topic. Below is how they displayed who is responsible for public safety funding. Now you know, and now you can do something about it if you want.
City Limits, a non-profit news outlet is created voter guides for topics like judicial elections, and mayoral races that don’t often get as much attention as the national elections. They had great success with their judicial election guide. Even compiling information all in one place has great value for their readers.
Third, Show You’ve Used Feedback
Check out Stephanie Castellano’s love letter to service journalism at the Philadelphia Inquirer, and why investment in that is more important than ever. At the Inquirer, they are sharing out how they are listening in a mirad of ways.
“Service journalism is about connecting the news to our readers’ lives. OK, so now they know what’s going on, but what can they do about it?
In their increased investment in service journalism since the pandemic they were able to create:
- A tenants’ rights guide
- A how-to-vote guide, which was offered in five languages because of an API grant
- A series on how to safely enjoy Philly during the pandemic
- The Black and Blue project about the history of police violence against Black people in Philly
- A breakdown of current pandemic rules in Philly, Pennsylvania and New Jersey
- Other evergreen resources including what to know if you get arrested at a protest, an explainer about gun rules, what to do if you’re denied unemployment, how to be an ally to the trans community, and others.
Let us know what you’re doing with public-powered reporting right now! We are eager to share it with our growing community!
