solutions journalism

Journalism as a Force for Good, with Tina Rosenberg, Solutions Journalism Network

The Solutions Journalism Network is supporting rigorous reporting on social problems, with an eye on what works. May 3 is World Press Freedom Day. Around the world, journalism is experiencing a watershed moment. According to a Knight-Gallup survey, 84% of Americans believe that the news media is key to a healthy democracy. Less than half, 44% can name an objective news source. Mobile, social media, and the ease of online publishing have disaggregated the news into billions of channels. 58% of those surveyed say that more sources can make it harder to stay informed. 73 say that the spread of inaccurate information on the internet is a major problem. Local…

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Things Just Got Real

Well, things just got real. I just created promos for my *gulp* brand new radio program. Seriously. Did I just type that sentence? Here is what the promo sounds like.   In case you have not heard, we have the opportunity to produce a weekly, one-hour, drive-time radio program. The show will reach tens of thousands of new listeners. In order to launch, we’re running a crowdfunding campaign. So far, more than 50 people have jumped in to help. As I’m writing this, we’re 35% of the way to our goal. If you want to be part of the movement to bring Social Entrepreneur to the radio, click here to…

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A Storytelling Platform for Social Entrepreneurs, Elisa Birnbaum, SEE Change Magazine

SEE Change Magazine is a global digital magazine focused on social entrepreneurship and social change. Like most people I speak to, Elisa Birnbaum’s career path was circuitous. She studied political science and law. “I was going to save the world as a human rights lawyer, of course,” she says tongue-in-cheek. But along the way, she found that she had a gift for writing. When she graduated from law school, she told herself, “I’m going to take some time off to see what this thing called storytelling is all about.” That was more than 15 years ago. Elisa honed her journalistic skills with several organizations. Her portfolio includes articles for the…

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Tell the Whole Story

When we tell the whole story, we have hope. It lifts us up. We are energized to make a difference. You’ve probably heard the saying “If you aren’t outraged, you’re not paying attention.” Yes, there is so much to be outraged about from climate change to civil rights. Outrage is the appropriate first response to these issues. If you aren’t outraged, all you have to do is look at the latest headlines. If that’s not enough to send you over the edge, log on to Twitter, Facebook or your favorite social media channel. Pretty soon…yup. Outrage. But here’s the problem with outrage. Constant outrage leaves us feeling powerless, hopeless and…

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