There are no easy answers, but there are a lot of good ones
A lot has happened since the last "How to SoJo." We published the previous one on Election Day in the U.S., and the results raised the temperature on some very serious questions about journalism — namely what the industry's future might look like under an administration that's often hostile to reporters, and how journalists themselves might better make themselves valuable and wanted in a landscape of declining confidence.
At SJN, we don't believe doing solutions journalism alone can solve all of journalism's issues. It's going to take a wide-scale rethinking of how we work and, perhaps most importantly, why. Then, we have to align those. Each journalist and outlet must decide the purpose of their work, then resolve to pursue methods and approaches that get there. Right now, journalism's purpose is not to terrify, alarm, and overwhelm, yet that's often the end result. Why? Our purpose and practice are, quite regularly, unaligned.
The bright spot is that there are more organizations than ever helping newsrooms build and think and deliver differently. And there are many newsrooms answering the call. We'll keep sharing resources to help get you there, stories that come from working differently, and the people inspiring us. May your alignment (or realignment!) be smooth.
In the Nov. 13 Above the Fold, we dug into the complications of the current, overwhelming state of media. But we also asked: What if our current confusion is an opportunity to connect with our communities? Transitions Media sure connected when it hosted the first ever European Solutions Journalism Summit. We shared Meenal Thakur 's newsletter sharing how it went. (Spoiler: Very well.) We introduced the latest crew of aspiring solutions journalism trainers, and we shared a survey from a master's student at the University of Vienna on journalism and trauma. (There's still time to fill that out.) Get all of that and more here.
The Nov. 20 edition started with some huge news: Sara Catania is SJN's new president! We're excited. On the other side, Alec Saelens has left SJN, but he didn't do it without sharing some valuable insights on revenue and measuring impact, along with an appearance on Small Press, Big Ideas discussing some of that. Jennifer Brandel and the Election SOS team shared some valuable resources for keeping journalists safe, and The Open Notebook and SciLine shared their new series, "Science Reporting Quick Tips." You can learn about turning SoJo to $$$, measuring your impact, protecting journalists, and science reporting all in one newsletter.
In the most recent Above the Fold, we begin with The Parable of Kid Rock, exploring what his desire to be insulted in the media says about journalism. We promise: It's serious, and it relates to recent survey results from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism . After that, we were delighted to announce that Journalismfund Europe has grants for cross-border investigations open, with a special interest in solutions-focused reporting. If you want to learn about strong solutions journalism, there was plenty of media: Hugo Balta and SJN's Jaisal Noor dropped a podcast about how we can cover democracy in ways that help people connect with their agency; Patrick Egwu wrote about the incredible work of Nigeria Health Watch ; and Tina Rosenberg was on the Mission Forward podcast. Or if you want to apply for some opportunities, you can find an open editor position with Planet Detroit , along with fellowships from Reynolds Journalism Institute and PBS News Student Reporting Labs (SRL) . This newsletter has a little bit of everything.
The Solutions Africa newsletter is growing rapidly. Truly. It's probably because Caroline Karobia shares so much incredible news and speaks with so many great people. In the latest edition, she highlights the award-winning solutions journalism of Steven Nsamaza . His insights on his coverage are not to be missed. She covers trainings led in Africa with the World Health Organization and journalism meet-ups in Nigeria. She shares solutions stories from Chinonso Kenneth and Sharon Atieno . Plus, there's a great article on the value of SoJo in Africa from Nneka Chile . That's just SOME of what's in this newsletter. If you're a solutions-minded journalist in Africa, this is the place to be.
In the Nov. 21 edition of The Response, we covered the value of showing up in-person and put the spotlight on three stories in which that's a fundamental aspect. Dig in to find Jay Price 's story on the Dept. of Veterans Affairs going door-to-door to help veterans after Hurricane Helene; Chidera Eza's look at how SHE DESERVES UGANDA( ELL-ATHOLERE) changes young women's period experiences; and The Emancipator 's deep dive into restorative justice. They're all here.
The Dec. 5 edition looks at basic income approaches. Do they work? How well? What doesn't always go according to plan? Instead of wondering, explore stories from Usman Aliyu on how one version of basic income works in Nigeria, Timothy Pratt 's on a program for Black women in Georgia, and Chabeli Carrazana covering one of the biggest basic income studies ever done. These stories are anything but basic.
We conclude this dispatch with Solutions Worth Sharing. Snag Grace Hussain 's look at how shareholders are getting creative (and serious) about pushing fast food restaurants to meet climate goals; Natalie Kaufman 's story on a Gen Z voter drive in Florida; Natalia Mesa 's coverage of successful Latino voter activation in Yakima, Washington; and Elijah de Castro 's nuance piece investigating the success and obstacles as farmers work to implement precision agriculture.