Solutions Journalism with Samantha McCann

7/17/2019 Solutions Journalism with Samantha McCann

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The Whole Story

solutionsjournalism.org

@soljourno

Solutions Journalism

October 3, 2015



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To legitimize and spread the practice of solutions

journalism—rigorous reporting about responses to

social problems and their associated results

Our Mission



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A growing network



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Newsroom partnerships

Workshops, individual consultations, data support and

project funding (on a case-by-case basis)

Online learning platform

Comprehensive toolkit, best practices, case studies—all for

free

Community buildingPlatform for shared learning and collaboration

What We Do



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What is solutions journalism?



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Chicago and Fayetteville, North Carolina, have among

the highest crime rates in the U.S.


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/solutions-journalism-with-samantha-mccann 7/34The Whole Story

A special series in the Chicago Tribune aims to “document

how gun violence shocks and destabilizes neighborhoods”



“Fear is the norm,

unity the response.”

–Mike Adams





Solutions journalism imposters



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Hero worship



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eHero Worship



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Silver bullet



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Favor for a Friend



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Think tank



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The Afterthought



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Instant Activist



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Chris P. Bacon



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It’s solutions journalism if it….

Features not just a person, but a response to a problem

and how it happened

Provides available evidence of results, looking at

effectiveness — not just intentions

Produces insights that can help others respond, too —

not just inspiration

Discusses limitations and avoids reading like a puff piece



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Why should I do solutions journalism?



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Journalism’s theory of change

Pointing out social problems

will spur reform

Journalists act as

whistleblowers and expose

wrongdoing



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“Publicity is justly commended as a remedy

for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight

is said to be the best of disinfectants;electric light the most efficient

policeman.” –SC Justice Louis Brandeis



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A 2008 Associated Press study of young adults

found widespread “news fatigue”

Associated Press, “A New Model For News: Studying the deep structure of young adult news consumption; June 2008



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“News fatigue brought many of the participants to a learned

helplessness response.”

“Over and over, the negativity of news added to the desire

to tune out.”

When people think something can be done about a problem(even something modest), they are more receptive and

attentive to the information

Findings:



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Seattle Times: Education Lab



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Preliminary findings suggest that “Ed Lab”

readers felt empowered and engaged

• Readers overwhelmingly felt there are effective ways to

address problems

• Majority said that stories changed the way they think about

the topic

• >50% singled out The Seattle Times as a source of new

information about educational approaches

• Content was consistently redistributed and/or shared by

professional stakeholder communities



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Ed Lab results supported by A/B testing

59%52%

47%

35%

22%

36%

28%22%

0%

10%

20%30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

“I felt inspired

and/or optimisticafter reading thearticle” *

Would read

more articlesfrom the samenewspaper **

Would get

involved inworking towarda solution **

Would share the

article **

Solutionsstory

Non-solutionsstory

* Agree or strongly agree** Somewhat likely or very likely



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Solutions journalism popular on social media



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Publishers say…

• “I was very skeptical when I first thought

about solutions journalism. I thought, isnt’

that what we do every day? We tell the

stories, we make the comments. But I’vedrank the Kool-Aid, I’ve really become a

believer. I’ve seen how it’s changed our

newsroom’s approach to things. We couldn’t

be more pleased with the results.”

–Frank Blethen, Seattle Times



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Publishers say…

• “Everybody knows that we have a crime

problem here, so we don’t just want to do

the same-old, same-old series…We do not

have a staff of 600 in the newsroom, we’vegot a staff of 60 in the newsroom. Great

staff, but you really have to focus your

resources…there’s not a bigger issue in this

community, so it’s perfect for the Observer

to get behind.” –Charles Broadwell, FO



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Why should I do solutions journalism?

It’s just good journalism

It engages the audience

It’s impactful



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Routinely ask sources:

is someone doing a better job with this?

Routinely ask themselves:

is there a possible solutions angle to this story?

Solutions journalism happens when reporters…



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Th Wh l S

Samantha McCann:

[email protected]

Facebook: www.facebook.com/solutionsjournalism

Twitter: @soljourno

solutionsjournalism.org

@soljourno

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Solutions Journalism with Samantha McCann