Accountability journalism

Here are 10 ideas to steal and adapt: From audience-focused initiatives to changing internal systems, these original case studies are the most-viewed in 2022 on BetterNews.org.

Here’s an idea to steal and adapt: Flip the narrative and add solutions-oriented reporting to your coverage, rather than solely focusing on problems in your community. The solutions journalism beat can include stories about people, programs and processes working to fill gaps in equity, break down barriers and make your region a better place.

Here’s an idea to steal and adapt: Local news sites nationwide rely too heavily on law enforcement sources, and crime stories dominate their news coverage. Gannett newsrooms committed to repairing relationships and building trust with members of marginalized communities by rethinking community justice and public safety coverage.

Here’s an idea to steal and adapt: As an independent nonprofit newsroom, move beyond philanthropy as a core strategy and begin reader revenue and community membership experiments in order to move toward sustainability.

Here’s an idea to steal and adapt: Gannett’s Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee is telling more diverse, authentic stories that are making an impact, thanks to a new audience engagement initiative called the Digital Advisory Group, or “the DAG.” As part of a 2021 pilot, Knox News paired a Facebook group with one-year digital subscription trials to listen to Black voices and earn their trust. The DAG united community members and journalists to engage one another for more authentic content.

Transparify has changed how inewsource journalists think about reporting and writing stories.

Here’s an idea to steal and adapt: Identify a statewide issue that requires reporting from various locations across the state. Enlist partners with a range of applicable skills who represent different localities and mediums, including print, digital, TV and radio.

“We’re doing four times more in-depth investigative and explanatory reporting now than we did when our newsroom was three times larger than it is today.  And I barely heard a peep from readers about most of the stuff we stopped doing.”

Case studies on effective accountability journalism presentations from 11 news organizations.

Using coverage of Silicon Valley as a case study, the author examines the relationship between reporter and sources.

A collection of stories about local accountability issues, supported by the Contently Foundation.

How can newsrooms produce major accountability projects in a time of budget cuts and buyouts?

Practical, tested advice for more thorough accountability reporting.