Today's trust tip: Invite people into the newsroom
Hi there. Lynn here.
We hear from a lot of journalists that they'd like to invite people into their newsrooms. My first reaction is always: yes, please do. But, like other in-person events, doing so takes thought and planning if you want it to be successful.
If you just issue a general call-out for visitors, you never know who may show up. You won't know their concerns or who they are (which also raises safety and security issues). And they most likely all have different complaints or questions, making it hard to have a constructive discussion once you're all together.
But inviting people in can be a really effective way to engage with your audience. People trust individuals they know — people they have relationships with. Allowing your community to meet your journalists can absolutely help build trust. (Remember, most people have never met a journalist.)
Here's an idea to be inspired by from one of our partners: The staff at the Tennessean set up a “Diversity and Inclusion Task Force.” The group worked on identifying people in the community they wanted to hear more from and then invited them into their newsroom. Those groups included veterans, Muslims and gun owners. A common theme came out of these visits: People wanted to be included in responsible and accurate coverage. For the Tennessean, these visits resulted in more sources for stories and more people submitting letters to the editor, according to David Plazas, the newsroom's Trusting News project lead.
If you want to invite people to your newsroom, TRY THIS:
- Pick a segment of your audience to invite: These could be individuals you want to create more relationships with (military members, parents, college students, etc.) or a group you have been hearing a lot of complaints from recently (parents from a certain district/school, community members from a particular neighborhood).
- Determine your goals: Are you trying to explain or get feedback on recent stories? Are you trying to get more story ideas from this group of people? Are you trying to rebuild a relationship with them by providing a space for them to vent and ask questions?
- Plan their visit: Figure out who in the newsroom should be included in the conversations (reporters covering that beat or community, digital team members who interact with them on social media platforms). Prepare questions and explanations you want to share related to your goals. (I also always recommend having guests attend an editorial meeting so they can see first hand how you select which stories to cover).
- If you're hosting a real conversation, moderate it carefully: Lay sound ground rules, and make sure everyone understands the goals and expectations. Choose a moderator who is skilled in diplomacy and will make sure people feel heard and respected.
- Follow up: How will conversations continue? (Facebook groups can be great for this.) Will there be more meetings? Is there someone specific in the newsroom who can be a good point of contact for them beyond the meeting?
Here are more tips for running listening sessions, from NPR's staff.
— Lynn Walsh, Trusting News assistant director
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