Solutions Journalism Network

We’ve shared quite a few climate solutions journalism trainings lately, hosted by both SJN and various partners. Why? Because climate change talk is everywhere — as it should be — but it's often presented in a way that can feel oppressive and hopeless. It doesn’t have to be that way. SJN’s accredited trainers can help your news organization or group of journalists think differently about what you cover and how. All you need to do is email Amy Maestas at amy@solutionsjournalism.org or climate@solutionsjournalism.org. They'll connect you with the right one for you. Your journalism can deepen people’s understanding of climate change at international, national and local levels. By combining coverage of climate change's effects with solutions reporting, you can elevate the conversation and shift away from the unsolvable and apocalyptic. Instead, you'll provide coverage that is actionable and engaging, that instills hope and inspires action. Audiences and journalists alike want a different story of the world, one that's just as true but often neglected. Ready to discover and deliver it? The inbox is open. 💌

We need each other. Life gets intense. And journalism can be isolating. In the latest "How to SoJo," we cover some brand new opportunities along with some great progress in solutions reporting. And we cover the hard stuff: some difficulties experienced by newsrooms in our network and the impact of recent hurricanes in the U.S. It's not all roses and wins. And that's ok. That's why finding a community is so important. We need each other.

Hello Australia! Corinne Podger and the team at The Walkley Foundation for Journalism has another treat for you. The Walkley Solutions Journalism Fund holds AU$175,000 to help fund your solutions journalism project. It's not just for newsrooms either — many independent journalists in Australia are eligible too. These funds will be dispersed in grants between $5,000 and $30,000 depending on the scope and needs of the project. This is a huge first for solutions journalism in Australia, so we really encourage you tag journalists you know who might be interested, share this with them directly, or apply yourself. The deadline is 12 November, so brush up on your solutions journalism with Walkley's resources (also available at the link), and get that pitch as strong as possible. You've got the SJN team cheering you on! https://lnkd.in/gg6gNd2P

Corinne Podger and The Walkley Foundation for Journalism keep providing incredible resources. First, they hosted six solutions journalism webinars covering different aspects of the practice and how to use it in your newsroom for maximum success. Then they posted all of them online for one and all. And NOW they've turned them into a beautiful, handy, downloadable PDF for everyone. It's clear and usable and all the wonderful things you want from something you read while you nibble a pastry and pound coffee. From the basics to revenue and engagement, it's all here. And now it's all yours!

Look at this lineup. Spend some time with MIT's Environmental Solutions Journalism fellows and SJN's Dr. Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson to learn about on-the-ground climate solutions and the immense value of covering them as part of a healthy local news diet. By the way, this conversation is for everyone, whether you're a journalist looking to cover solutions yourself or a lover of constructive news who wants to learn more about how it's made and why it's necessary. It's free, and it's going to be fun.

Want the perfect moment to pursue solutions journalism? How about deep community listening? Maybe a perfectly calm phase where you can say, "Hey! The way we're reporting isn't healthy!" The latest edition of How to SoJo has some terrible news for you. And some great news.

Teaching journalists solutions journalism is great. Still, without editors who understand and embrace it, their ambitions can only go so far. Caroline Karobia and Daniel Otunge led a recent SoJo training for editors in Nigeria — one of several specifically for editors SJN has done in the past several months. Are you an editor who wants to learn? Just let us know. 😉

"How do journalists hold governments accountable without contributing to cynicism, fatalism and polarization?" The 15 newsrooms selected for the 2024-25 Building Democracy cohort are working to do just that. With deep community listening, a focus on civic engagement, and reporting that integrates solutions journalism, they're committing to healthier coverage around the election and beyond. Less politics. More democracy. Meet them all here: https://lnkd.in/g87xvrmC

The Uproot Project is throwing some festivities. The theme? "Solutions in our community." At their 3rd annual Journey of a Story event series, they'll use that theme to focus on innovative, community-driven responses to climate challenges.  From October 7-10, both in New Orleans and on Zoom, Uproot and some incredible guests will showcase stories of resilience, adaptation, and sustainable practices that are transforming local communities. Through solutions journalism, journalists of color are leading the way in amplifying diverse voices and sharing climate solutions from underrepresented perspectives. We're honored to be participating, and the full of slate of events shouldn't be missed. Swipe through for your options, the register for the ones that speak to you here: https://lnkd.in/gUPNN8ah

“We definitely haven’t had anyone tell us to do more polling stories, or that they want to hear more about candidate attacks." — Scott Blanchard In an era where everything is presented as a crisis, newsrooms can build relationships by presenting possibilities. In a sea of political personalities, journalism can rebuild confidence by focusing on policy. Under the weight of outsized candidates and incendiary quotes, journalists can help build people power and a healthy civic life. Linda Shaw, Jaisal N., and Tina Rosenberg wrote for the "Elections" issue of Investigative Reporters and Editors Journal about SJN's Advancing Democracy newsrooms. These newsrooms are doing remarkable work to change the conversation from "politics" to democracy and from polarizing outrage to community strength. This is not a pipe dream. It's not pie-in-the-sky idealism. It's not fluffy stories about people holding hands and singing. This is reporting that supports and covers the messy, difficult work of maintaining a democracy and stitching together a social fabric to get urgent problems solved. It's happening now, and it's working. What's needed is more of it. A sincere thanks to IRE for generously allowing us to republish this. Get the full issue here: https://lnkd.in/gEF7zTwz. Read the full piece below: