What’s New in Pew Projects

Decatur, IL

Herald & Review, WILL-TV (PBS)

One of two Decatur public high schools has formed a dropout prevention task force in response to the partners’ “Decatur’s Dropouts” project. In addition, the school superintendent says he will address concerns citizens raised in April in an hour-long call-in show on WILL. Host and producer John Paul said, though no ratings were taken, the phone lines were full for the entire hour.

Callers questioned 16 panelists, many selected from participants in an earlier town hall the paper co-sponsored with the Decatur NAACP. Associate Editor Jan Touney says the paper provided a school bus to take those panelists – including students, teachers and the superintendent – to the WILL studio. She said the ride back to Decatur proved to be a valuable brainstorming session with the panelists proposing innovative ideas for tackling the dropout problem.

The paper hopes to sponsor another town hall because of the community’s interest. But she says the paper also learned about what doesn’t work. In April, the paper made computer time available at three public schools so that dropouts could link with job training agencies, GED help and other resources. The event got no participation.

Savannah, GA

Savannah Morning News, Georgia Public Radio, savannahnow.com

In June, the paper kicked off a six-month series with a package on the competing demands for Savannah River water. Coverage will continue until the state legislature takes up the issue when it reconvenes in January. The partners hope that citizens will get a chance to query legislators directly at a town meeting.

The Web site is working on special features, including a water use calculator, to show users how much water they’re wasting and what it costs them.

The paper worked with Georgia Southern University to conduct a survey on water resource issues and how much respondents know about them. A follow-up survey next spring will see if the series had any impact on public knowledge of the issues. Morning News editors say they often get anecdotal feedback about the impact of their civic journalism series but are excited about getting quantifiable data on how the project impacts the public’s attention.

Huntington, WV

The Herald-Dispatch, West Virginia Public Broadcasting

The partners appear to have tapped into a wellspring of anger with “Home for Good,” about the exodus of young people from the state. Managing Editor Len LaCara has been fielding a steady stream of calls, letters and e-mails from current and former West Virginians decrying the lack of state action on improving the economy, tax structure, public image and other factors that prompt younger residents to leave.

A poll, in April and May, showed a growing pessimism about the state’s future and found that a whopping 86 percent of respondents felt state politicians hinder improvement. The partners’ reporting also showed that many emigrees were simply slipping over the border into Ohio, Virginia and Pennsylvania, attracted by better schools, lower taxes and freedom from the hillbilly label.

Stories on the lagging implementation of a recovery plan are prompting state officials to promise more action. Eleven papers around the state carried some or all of the series.

Spokane, WA

The Spokesman-Review, spokesmanreview.com

When Spokane Valley residents voted in May to incorporate as the newest city in Washington state, the margin was almost exactly what Spokesman-Review interactive editor Ken Sands predicted, roughly 52-48. The turnout, though, surprised Sands.

Sands covered the election with an interactive Web log or blog for six weeks while reporter Lorie Hutson covered it in the paper. Initially, they found little interest. Sands found it difficult to get an online dialogue going, especially compared to the huge response he got to his first blog on the State B basketball tournament.

“What we found is that people are not nearly as interested in going online to talk about government as they are to talk about basketball,” Sands said.
But Sands tried to generate interest with colorful features about the residents who would become citizens of the new city – including a snake handler and an antiques dealer with an interesting collection of offerings. On the day of the election, 16,000 people turned out to vote – much higher than expected. “Maybe all the attention we paid to the election did influence turnout,” Sands said.

Miami, FL

WTVJ (NBC), The Miami Herald, Ocean Drive Magazine

The partners have distributed half a million copies of their “EcoGuide,” with a host of environmental information for Florida residents. For example, a section on helping the Everglades offers water conservation advice, including a method for determining if you have leaks in your plumbing. “Ten Easy Steps to Reduce Your Footprint” encourages basic conservation advice.

WTVJ is currently running a series of 30-second environmental tips that feature local celebrities, such as the mayor of Miami and prominent marine biologist Jean-Michel Cousteau. The partners say Cousteau has become an important supporter of “EcoWatch,” providing story ideas and sources as well as a syndicated column.

Santa Ana, CA

The Orange County Register, Excelsior, ocvive.com, myOC.com, California State University-Fullerton

The partners are conducting dozens of face-to-face interviews in the Hispanic community this summer and entering information into a database reporters can use to develop deeper sources and provide better information to Hispanic readers. CSU-Fullerton researchers will conduct a cultural study in one Santa Ana neighborhood and the partners will also survey the community. The goal, says project manager Dennis Foley, is not to generate a particular story or series but to improve all coverage of the Hispanic community.

Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, KDKA-TV (CBS), KDKA Radio, Pennsylvania Newspapers Assn.

The state legislature is expected this summer to pass a new open records law allowing citizens greater access to public documents. Pennsylvania was ranked 47th of the 50 states in the openness of its records last year when the partners launched their First Amendment project. The project included citizen training in gaining access to public records and stories about grassroots efforts to make government more accountable by opening up meetings and records.

Jane Elizabeth, education editor, says the partners can’t claim full credit for the new law, “but we certainly didn’t hurt it.” She says the partners will put out a brochure to help citizens who wish to open up public records.

Washington, DC

BET.com, Black Entertainment TV News

“Under One Roof,” the network’s news series on black family life, has won the Best Online News Project from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). The Web site is adding new interactive elements this summer, including a map that rates U.S. cities according to the opportunities they present for black families. The site used U.S. Commerce, Justice and Education Department data on school spending, employment, crime and other livability indicators to create the map. It will add census data as it becomes available.

BET.com is also conducting an online poll to help identify the top issues facing black families. Users can cast a vote for the one issue in each of seven categories they think demands the most immediate attention. For instance, in the category “economic opportunity issues,” users can vote for affirmative action, jobs and training, increasing the minimum wage, or urban development.

Tacoma, WA

The News Tribune, KCTS-TV (PBS), KPLU-FM

The state legislature tabled a measure to limit lawsuits by victims of crimes by parolees after a poll showed citizens overwhelmingly wanted to retain the right to sue. The poll was part of a series on problems in the state parole system that have been costing the state millions of dollars in liability claims.