 The Wichita Experience
Some of the strengths of the Harwood experience were the informal conversations it spurred throughout the newsroom. After I attended a few Harwood sessions, my reporters became curious about what we were discussing and asked me to give them an overview. Before long, they were virtually finishing my sentences. I would start talking about how people make connections and share information, and they would immediately bring us to a grocery store or a gardening shop or a recreation area that served as an informal neighborhood meeting place. We are all aware of those places but had not thought enough about nurturing them as sources of news. The Harwood program helped us see our community in different ways. -THOMAS KOETTING |
Part B: Building A Civic Map
This part of the workbook will help the news organization pull together its newsroom conversations and community interviews into something that can be used. There are a series of questions in this section to consider. Parts of this exercise can seem quite seem simplistic and easy, but do not be deceived by initial impressions. This can be the hardest part to do. GET IT ON THE TABLE. Generate a conversation about what the newsroom has been learning. FIGURE OUT WHAT IT ALL MEANS. Spend time to see how all the information fits together, what it means, and how it connects to daily journalism. Keep asking the question: What do we really have here? WATCH OUT FOR PITFALLS. Be aware of some challenges in doing this work. The key ones are noted throughout this section. |
