Solutions Journalism Network

So Maria Ramos Pacheco reported on a pilot to install "cool pavement" in parts of Dallas. The next thing you know, she's on NBC 5 talking about the story! It turns out those pavements reduced heat by 10 degrees Fahrenheit in the areas that got them. That's a lot. Exactly the kind of fascinating and promising approach other people might like to know about. We're glad she got this platform to talk about something that's working, so more people understand their options for dealing with extreme heat. Go Maria! https://lnkd.in/gn-xnWYJ

Spend some time meeting folks who are passionate about solutions journalism and you might be surprised by the heart and joy they bring to their work. For proof, look at the Constructive Network. Post after post, gathering after gathering, they show — with thoughtful actions and passionate words — the value of a constructive approach, not just to journalists' careers but to their wellbeing. And recently they released their "Ethical Charter for Constructive Journalism." Reading this, you'll feel the beating heart underneath. You can feel the humanity. And it's hard not to be enamored with their vision for journalism, one that tries to locate people at their best and looks for ways to unite through shared aspirations. Our hats are off to Assunta Corbo and the whole Constructive Network team. This is a keeper.

"By adopting a solutions journalism approach, African journalists can seek accountability through their reporting and approach it with a sense of duty, and civic responsibility to the community and continent. Importantly, they can upend negative narratives by sharing innovative local solutions to problems." We're thrilled to see this piece on International Journalists' Network (IJNet) from Nneka Chile about the resonance and importance of solutions journalism in Africa. Maybe more than anywhere else at the moment, African journalists are both *adopting* solutions journalism and *adapting* it to their local contexts. They're both reporting SoJo and feel a calling to teach and spread it. Nneka also shares some thoughts from Chinonso Kenneth, Michaela Haas, and SJN's Linda Shaw, and includes some great story examples. Check it out ... if you're in the business of upending negative narratives.

Your assignment this week: Have some fun. What? Yes, in journalism. We believe that ideas like hope, joy, fun, curiosity, vulnerability ... these are all key to both journalism's future and the wellbeing of everyone working in the field. In the latest "How to Sojo," we're exploring a very important piece of that "how." Sorry folks who only think dark stuff is serious and important!

Development reporting can help spread best practices, remove excuses, and break stereotypes. But we have to be thoughtful about it. Otherwise we risk falling into the same old tropes. You probably know them: savior investors, pie-in-the-sky plans that might never pan out, communities covered without agency. Not to mention the racial, gender, economic, and cultural fault lines that all converge around development. That all means you have to be EXTRA intentional. European Journalism Centre (EJC) has spoken with experienced, solutions-focused reporters around the world for its new guide, "Solutions Journalism: An introduction to solutions-focused development reporting." This lovely new resource shares their wisdom, all with ideas you can actually use from incredible reporters like Christina Lee, Julien Chongwang, Lola García-Ajofrín Romero-Salazar, Chibuike Alagboso, Melissa Fleming, Catherine Cheney, and more. But even better than that, it speaks to journalists' *ambitions*. Who wouldn't want to battle government inaction by focusing on what has worked? What journalist wouldn't want to help other communities learn from attempts to solve problems that didn't succeed? And who wouldn't want to help spread and improve on best practices while battling misconceptions? Dig in to learn from journalists from all over the world and ... develop ... those skills. (Sorry, couldn't resist. But seriously read it.) https://lnkd.in/d-e73S_4

There's no good reason not to learn climate solutions reporting now. And one great place to learn it is with Hugo Balta and the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas. As many climate communicators have realized in the past couple years, relentlessly covering climate change's impacts at the expense of other types of climate information has contributed to skyrocketing anxiety and growing disengagement. Yes, it has galvanized some people to take action, but for many it has also made climate change feel unsolvable and impenetrable. Climate change's effects are genuine and real and they deserve to be covered. But we must — we MUST — increase coverage of how climate change is being addressed (even when it's small), how effective those approaches have been, and what can be learned from them. Without that, we leave knowledge, efficacy, and possibility on the table. The new online course from Hugo and the Knight Center will teach you the fundamentals of climate solutions reporting and how to build a story — from finding ideas to constructing your piece. And ... it's free. Now's the time. Journalists don't need to stay stuck reporting on either distant climate saviors and despair. There's work happening right now, lessons to be learned right now, that you can cover. And you can start August 19. https://lnkd.in/dqtXGWQe

"We need to rethink that a bit because quite often the people who are living the experience have some solutions to these problems. They can also be experts and not just someone whom we quote, telling us what the problem is." When Deepa Fernandes is dropping some solutions journalism knowledge, it's a good day. And when she does it with Alexander Russo, it gets even better. https://lnkd.in/ezWKdjwN

You can talk about religion and politics. You just have to have some skills! Journalism certainly needs to consider who and what it covers. But it is equally important that we consider *how* we do it. We can't come with the same questions and approaches to every scenario. Trust us when we say that grilling a trauma survivor in the same way you grill a politician is not going to get you the results you want. The benefit of interviewing differently is that you come away with fresh and surprising information. You can dig into people's complexities and tell stories that illuminate their values. And few places are in need of such complexity as the fraught intersection of religion and politics, an intersection easily weaponized by the malicious and misunderstood by the well-intentioned. Bekah McNeel, Sandi Villareal, and Keith Hammonds have come together to create a guide to "complicating the narratives" (ever-lasting hat tip to Amanda Ripley) around religion and politics. They've gathered some ideas for your coverage, sample questions and model stories into a short-and-sweet tip sheet you'll want in your pocket — especially in the coming months. https://lnkd.in/gGpHezsQ

One of the most abundant troves of solutions journalism training tools is now online. For free. For you. Over the past few months, we've co-hosted a variety of solutions journalism trainings with The Walkley Foundation for Journalism (thanks to Corinne Podger, the most organized person in the world). Those sessions have covered everything from the basics to using SoJo to grow revenue, covering diverse communities and more. And of course, it wasn't just us. You'll also learn from folks like Lindsay Green-Barber, Sabra Lane, Luke Pearson, and more — all experts in their work. You not only get the full session videos if you want them, but also the course materials along with it. That means you can dig in deeply to become a solutions journalism expert, getting answers to even big newsroom strategy questions you might have. Or you can skim a few articles and get some ideas for your work. Or anything in between. We've found something over the past couple years: The will to do solutions journalism is growing rapidly. Now it's about answering those big questions. Well, here you go. It's all courtesy of a supprotive foundation in Australia, some dedicated SoJo practitioners, and yes, the most organized person in the world. https://lnkd.in/gzY_YjV6

🚨🚨🚨 Major — but quick — grant and support opportunity for U.S. newsrooms!⁠ ⁠ We have an opportunity for U.S. newsrooms (particularly local and small/midsize ones) to get funding for their visual climate solutions journalism. Selected newsrooms will get up to $20K plus extensive support and training, along with being plugged into our growing climate peer network. ⁠ Here's the caveat: The deadline is AUGUST 7. That's in a week. The good news is that the application is short — you can fill it out with < 1500 words. So click the link and break a leg! ⁠ https://lnkd.in/gie4vqTJ