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Topic: Letters Sent to Romenesko
Date/Time: 4/24/2008 3:34:12 PM
Title: Overcoming the community gap
Posted By: Jim Romenesko
 
From WILL BUNCH: Dear colleagues, I'm seeking your stories and opinions for an article that I'm currently writing for American Journalism Review on how our profession can overcome what I'd call "the community gap." The basic paradox is this: Most experts say the way to salvation for 21st Century news organizations is get closer to our communities -- not only to emphasize local and even "hyperlocal," or neighborhood, news but to use blogging and other tools such as "crowdsourcing" to get to know our local readers and forge two-way conversations. Certainly that's how many independent blogs have become successful, by creating online communities of people with common interests. But really, is there anything more alien to the lone-wolf, typical 20th-Century trained newspaper journalist than "community."

I speak from personal experience. In writing my own blog with the everything-Philly title of "Attytood," I’ve had to toss my New York roots -- especially 35 years as a diehard Mets fan, now reformed -- down "the memory hole." But I think I'm typical -- for the last generation or two, the career travel map for an ambitious journalist has resembled that of a left-handed middle-innings relief pitcher. Many of us don't work where we grew up with friends and family, and the long hours of journalism make it hard to make new connections outside of the newsroom. What's more, the conventions of journalism make civic activities problematic, especially for anything that might have a political aspect to it. (In fact, some journalists don't even vote on principle.)

I'm looking for other journalists to tell me their stories. Do you feel connected to where you work? If not, do you see that as an obstacle -- especially if we're looking for journalism that is more local and more personal, with more two-way interactions with readers, local bloggers, etc. Conversely, if you do feel connected to your community, how did you do it? Do you work in the town where you were born and raised, and has that been an asset? Do you have thoughts on the broader issues? Should journalists seek certain kinds of civic engagement, or would that compromise objectivity? Maybe you think a little detachment is a good thing. Either way, I would love to hear from you – my email address is bunchw@phillynews.com. Thanks for your help. [Permalink]

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