 Hi! It’s Simon.
Listening is a powerful tool for building empathy. But it doesn't just build empathy in the listener. It builds empathy in the speaker, too.
In 2016, researchers asked transphobic individuals to tell personal stories about being judged for being different. They then related to those experiences by showcasing how transgender people are similarly judged for being different. It's a process called analogic perspective taking.
Those conversations lasted 10 minutes on average and 20 minutes at their longest. In those periods of time, the increase in the rate of acceptance of transgender people surpassed the increase in the rate of acceptance of gay and lesbian people from 1998 to 2012.
On one hand, 14 years of cultural influence and pressure. On the other, 20 minutes of listening and dialogue.
Engagement isn't just a way for you to build a loyal audience, a better news product, and a more stabile business. It's a way for you to build the critical connections your community needs to progress and thrive. It's a responsibility as much as it is an opportunity.
That's why we're featuring just one item that this week that every responsible journalist needs to read. It's about how to engage a particular segment of your community that's likely growing in number and fervor. And as always, if you have any questions for us or things you'd like to see in GroundSourced, let us know.
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The Oxygen of Amplification: Better Practices for Reporting on Extremists, Antagonists, and Manipulators
This report by Whitney Phillips showcases how news media is being hijacked by hate groups to amplify their messages. It also offers strategies for journalists doing work in a time of ever-increasing hate and disillusionment.
A strategy for reporting on objectively false information includes considering the information's current reach, public value, actionability, and risk in reporting.
Other tips include how to report on coordinated manipulation or harassment, specific individuals, and the Internet in general.
There is no question that hate and its political formulation – fascism – is on the rise throughout the world. And just like we have to engage underserved communities responsibly, so too do we have to responsibly engage those who would see them oppressed.
Read "The Oxygen of Amplification" here.
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More resources on reporting on hate
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 That's it for this week. GroundSourced is about helping you better connect with your community. Have questions you'd like us to answer? Links to stories or studies you're reading that we can pass on to our 1,000+ subscribers? Let me know with an email to simon@groundsource.co.
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