Focused listening - four US journalism projects

"Public distrust and negative attitudes toward media are critical problems facing many news organizations. This distrust feels deepest among particular alienated groups — such as conservatives, or neighborhoods where a minority group is the majority — with whom many publishers have scant or shallow ties.

Building trust with these disengaged or neglected communities will require many approaches. Some solutions address news content, such as transparency in reporting or angles of stories. But other solutions strengthen relationships. Notably, some news organizations are confronting the issue through listening.

Focused listening — in which newsrooms make efforts to listen to their underserved or disengaged audiences — demonstrates that a news organization cares about people like you. In the examples we’ve found, such projects are an important foundation for establishing trust. "

The four essays in this collection are:

“How The Tennessean hosts meetings with alienated audiences to listen and understand.”

“How a Boston nonprofit newsroom starts its listening by popping up where people live and play.”

“How Richland Source held an event to serve local mothers — and listened, too.”

“How Alabama Media Group uses simple text-messaging to listen to diverse voices.”