Civic Innovations: Media for a New America

A superworkshop at the August NABJ convention in Orlando engaged nearly 40 journalists in a discussion about new tools media organizations are using to dispel myths and engage their community in conversations about diversity and race.

Marty Steffens, consulting editor for The (San Francisco) Examiner, moderated the session. Pat Ford, author of the Pew Center’s new book on race coverage, shared her observations about some of the 45 race projects she studied. Fannie Flono, associate editor of The Charlotte Observer, discussed the paper’s “Side by Side” project.

Reginald Owens, associate professor of journalism at Louisiana Tech University, outlined an innovative partnership between his students and The News-Star in Monroe.

Van Dora Williams, producer for WHRO in Norfolk, VA, described her journey to Benin, West Africa, to cover the Reconciliation and Development Conference and the community dialogue sparked by the coverage.

Ken Sands, interactive editor for The Spokesman-Review, offered ideas on building new connections with the community and shared highlights of the paper’s “In it Together” project, a response to the 1998 Aryan Nations march in Idaho.

ABOVE: Marty Steffens, Fannie Flono and Reginald Owens.

ABOVE: Participants Alison Bethel, The Detroit News, David Trutman-Wilkins, Chicago Tribune and Denise Clay, Bucks County Courier Times.