Why aren’t some journalists easier to get in touch with?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot this year, as I’ve spent time trying to find email addresses or phone numbers for journalists I want to interview about engagement. In several cases, I’ve had to rely on asking friends and colleagues for help in reaching people directly. It’s frustrating for me as a professional journalist. What if I were a reader with a news tip?

Eric Zorn of the Chicago Tribune wrote about this a couple of weeks ago, and I’ve returned to it to mull it over. Here’s part of what he said:

… given the promise and potential of the Internet — hyperconnectivity, easy and direct person-to-person access in a densely networked environment — it should be as easy for each newsroom as …
1. Go to the media outlet’s homepage.
2. Click on the “contact” or “directory” link.
3. Cut and paste the list.
Of course any of you who have ever tried to reach a reporter or editor directly know that it’s almost never that easy.

He’s right, in theory. But the issue isn’t black or white.

Continue reading “Can our readers find us? Do we want them to?” →

I’ve found myself this week telling several people about one of the most enlightening experiences of my fellowship, and I realized I hadn’t yet written about it.

I spent a day in the fall with Dave Marner, managing editor at the Gasconade County Republican, a weekly newspaper south and east of Missouri’s capital.

I’ve never worked for a community newspaper, and I went to see Dave because I wanted a crash course in the role a paper can play in a small town. Dave gave me that and much more, and I’ve found myself turning to him since our visit to give me a dose of reality.

Continue reading “What I’m learning from a community newspaper editor” →

As journalists, many of us like to think of ourselves as being in the community business. We serve communities with information.

I’ve been talking to folks who come at this idea of community from other angles. Today, that road led me to Steve Jeanetta, who is on the community development faculty here at the University of Missouri Extension. I learned so much from Steve, and I’m thrilled that he’s agreed to be part of our conversations at the Engagement Metric, a workshop here at RJI May 4-5. Join us if you can!

Steve teaches his students to constantly question what their role is in working with communities. Are they experts? Impartial facilitators? Advocates? Trusted resources? Or just community members? As I listened to him talk, I was thinking about all the ways journalists seek to be both observers and participants in their communities, and how uncomfortable we get sometimes when those lines blur.

Continue reading “The role of journalists: Lessons from community development” →

Yesterday, I wrote about NPR’s listener community and wisdom from Andy Carvin. This is part 2 of my NPR chats.

National Public Radio’s Bob Boilen has been talking directly to his listeners since the late ’80s, when he answered by hand the mail he got at All Things Considered. Then and now, he wants to hear what’s working, what’s annoying and what ideas listeners have. Now, as the host of All Songs Considered, he says his work days still almost always include direct interaction with listeners, and he can’t imagine that not being the case.

These days, his responses to listeners often serve to personalize what would otherwise feel like communication with a brand, not an individual. Bob says writers and commenters don’t seem to expect their comments or emails to be read, much less responded to, as evidenced by a frequent rude, impulsive tone. “When I do write them back, it’s somewhat disarming,” Bob says. “They call me an idiot, then the idiot writes them back. That’s wonderful!”

Continue reading “Being an authentic person: Talking engagement with NPR’s Bob Boilen” →

This is one of two posts about NPR. The other is a conversation with Bob Boilen at All Songs Considered.

In the changing landscape of relationships between news organizations and their audiences, National Public Radio might just be unique. “A lot of people don’t see NPR as a brand or a consumer choice. They see it as a lifestyle choice. They see it as part of their identity,” says Andy Carvin, NPR’s senior strategist. “For the 3 million or so people who donate to their local member stations, they actually have a literal vested interest in our success.”

So when NPR uses social media, it’s definitely not just to distribute content. “It’s a way of furthering our mission to create a more informed public,” Andy says. “It’s a way to empower the people who love us and listen to the people who don’t.” The people on the other end of the relationship feel invested in the success of the product or story, and they seem eager to help.

Continue reading “How NPR cultivates community: Talking engagement with Andy Carvin” →