Solutions Journalism Network

We've shared lots of fresh news and tools this week, but we want to close out with one more bit: the newest Train-the-Trainers cohort! These *16* journalists represent three continents, an array of roles, and a heck of a lot of commitment. They've spent chunks of the past couple weeks digging deeply in to solutions journalism. They've shared their knowledge with us and each other. They're adapting the best practices for teaching solutions journalism to their own local contexts and needs. We are grateful they've taken an interest in solutions reporting and shared some of their time with us. After this week, they'll begin organizing their own SoJo trainings and hopefully make their role as an accredited solutions journalism trainer official. Welcome to the latest class! Ahmed Mohsen, Catriona Forrest, Chhavi Sachdev, David Campbell, David Lyons, JAVIER SILAS OMAGOR, Jefferson Massah, KEVINE OMOLLO, Kimika Tonuma, Kiundu Waweru, Maryna Smahina, Miriam Richter, Nina Zorman, Rahma Diaa, Rishu Nigam, and Sweta Daga. https://lnkd.in/gx5ghsqq

Five newsrooms spent most of a year using solutions journalism to make $$$. The results are out. With plenty of experimentation to draw from, the Solutions Journalism Revenue Beacon newsrooms have gotten together to write about what they did, what worked well, what could have gone better and what they learned while trying to turn solutions reporting into funding. If different ways of reporting are going to stick, they have to be able to help an outlet survive and thrive. This crew explored how SoJo can connect to grant funding, individual donations, and membership plans. And you can learn from them. Swipe through for a summary, then get the full recap at the link, complete with tons of suggestions and insights from the newsrooms — WSHU Public Radio, AL.com, Civil Eats, The Keene Sentinel, and The Dallas Morning News/KERA – North Texas Public Broadcasting. And let's not forget the revenue coaches: Virginia Arrigucci, Joaquin Alvarado, Claudia Laws, and Joe Whitwell: https://lnkd.in/gq9YMMNh BONUS! If all that has you thinking about how *your* newsroom can turn solutions journalism into funding, apply for the brand new Solutions Journalism Revenue Accelerators. SJN and Blue Engine Collaborative will lead four separate accelerators, each supporting eight to 12 news organizations and focusing on a specific revenue stream, including sponsorship, consumer revenue and philanthropy. Selected newsrooms will get: - Nine months of support to build expertise in solutions journalism and revenue strategies;   - Coaching and training from SJN and Blue Engine experts; - The opportunity to apply for up to $10,000 in funding for solutions journalism and/or sponsorship efforts during the Accelerator; - More perks along the way. Apply for the first round: https://lnkd.in/g4RB98W8 Or let us know you're interested in future rounds: https://lnkd.in/gnw5hwNz

We're thrilled to welcome Pepperdine University as the newest university hub for solutions journalism!⁠ ⁠ Four schools have held this title since 2022. Pepperdine — located in Malibu, California — makes five. The university officially entered the solutions journalism orbit while participating in the 2023-24 Student Media Challenge with SJN, where the school's student journalists explored the complexities of climate on and around campus.⁠ ⁠ The status as a hub means that solutions reporting will be core to its journalism curriculum, and that the school will be center for the spread of solutions journalism to other schools and journalists as well. ⁠ ⁠ Welcome the Waves and learn more about the Hub program: https://lnkd.in/gTy-__UU

Is your purpose as a journalist supported by your practices and processes? Journalists' goals and ambitions are often things like deeply informing the public to build compassion, or to help people make decisions with more comprehensive knowledge. We want to help them navigate civic life more effectively. Maybe we want to be a valued piece of the community. We want our work to be essential! And yet ... we're frequently carried along by a stream of what we're "supposed" to report, rather than guided by the information people need. So how do we align our work with our goals? And, yes, with our community's goals? Dive into this week's "How to SoJo" for some thoughts.

We're delighted to kick the week off by announcing SJN's five new Climate Beacon Newsrooms, focused on visual climate solutions reporting. Climate solutions journalism focuses not on pie-in-the-sky promises or distant tech. It — like all solutions journalism — is about covering what's being tried right now to address a major problem. That means exploring how this attempt works, what can be learned from it, how well it's working, and the limitations or caveats to the approach. Exploring how communities most affected by the problem are responding is essential. That's why these five newsrooms — Mongabay, Cherokee Phoenix, Osage News, Alaska Beacon, and New York Amsterdam News — will be such exciting partners. They're committed to covering how a diverse array of people are tackling #climatechange. And they'll focus on visualizing that, showing people working on solutions, not just suffering from the problem. Can anyone solve it all at once? No. Is there plenty to learn ... and tons not being reported on? Absolutely. Hit the link for more information on their projects and to meet trainers Justin Cook and Tara Pixley. https://lnkd.in/gHpFEjGd

Journalists, here's a really fun opportunity to spend an hour thinking about purpose, connection, and solutions-focused storytelling, courtesy of the Solutions Insights Lab team.

What happens when journalism pivots from from covering youth mental health as an unending crisis to exploring the ways in which it's being improved? That's the goal of SJN's 10 new HEAL Fellows. The 2024-25 class will build on the work of last year's, bringing their unique expertise to the table. Looking at everything from LGBTQ issues to public safety and much more, these journalists will contribute to deeper understanding of youth mental health by exploring success along with the difficulties. Courtesy of Fellowship Manager Julia Hotz, say hello to the cohort: Khysir Carter, Bridget Fogarty, Colleen Hamilton, Delonte Harrod, Bri Hatch, Anika Nayak, Mariela Santos-Muniz, Lauren DeLaunay Miller, Heidi Shin, and Andy Steiner. Learn more about their projects here: https://lnkd.in/g-dcW4c2

SJN's Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, PhD is teaming up with Canadian Journalism Foundation for a fresh and increasingly vital climate solutions journalism training. Sometimes, people wonder what will happen if we only cover what's showing promise in the fight against climate change. Well, you're in luck, because you don't have to cover only that. Instead, solutions journalism is part of a healthy, well-rounded, more complete view of climate that includes the problems and latest developments. Surveys and studies abound showing that people want both/and, not either/or. So let's help fill those info needs. In just an hour, you'll learn the foundations of solutions reporting and discover ways to integrate it into your climate coverage. Best of all, you'll learn more about an approach that journalists say brings fresh energy and possibility to their reporting, and that audiences say makes them more likely to trust and value the news. You'll be doing your part to ensure people don't tune out when they're needed. Join up at the link. It's free, and everyone's welcome. https://lnkd.in/gJie8agM

We’re jazzed to announce that Sara Catania, formerly our chief program and operating officer, has been promoted to president of SJN! Over the years, she has put her stamp on everything from our journalism school work to a revamping of our strategy. She will be working in partnership with SJN’s co-founder and CEO David Bornstein. What does David want the world to know about this? "Sara has done a fantastic job as SJN’s chief program and operations officer. She has helped guide the organization to ensure that everything we do is focused on supporting and connecting a growing network of journalists, journalism educators and trainers, and many other partners working to transform journalism — so it can be radically helpful to communities around the world. I am hugely grateful for Sara's strategic brilliance, commitment and dedication." And Sara wants to tell you all this: “As a lifelong journalist with a deep commitment to a robust future for journalism, I can think of nothing more meaningful I can do right now than to forge ahead with SJN — a place of hope, action and impact. I’m grateful to be able to continue this work with amazing colleagues and with journalists everywhere.” We’re all incredibly excited to walk with her into a bright future for solutions journalism.