Step #3: Civic Leader Interviews

The mayor and other elected officials, such as city council members, state house representatives, and school board members.

Heads of major civic organizations such as the chamber of commerce, NAACP, civic groups, housing organizations, local health clinics.

Leaders of community institutions such as the local hospital, banks, businesses. 

Religious leaders.

These are the kinds of civic leaders The Harwood Group tapped when trying to learn about neighborhoods. Depending upon the target area, civic leaders may vary. Recall, that for this purpose of this work, “officials” and “civic leaders” are combined into a single category. 

You Need to Find Out

How civic leaders roughly define the boundaries of the target areas.

The kinds of public meetings and forums that occur in the area. How often they are held, where, who usually attends, and who actively participates.

The kinds of civic conversations and spaces that exist in the area (where people gather to talk).

What these discussions sound and feel like: Are they open, rigid, acrimonious, friendly, solution oriented? Is there any give-and-take? (It is important to see how the different layers of the community operate and feel.)

To whom civic leaders turn when they want to learn what people are thinking and talking about.

Where civic leaders go when they want to talk with ordinary folks in the area. Where they suggest you should go.

Who the area’s key catalysts are.

CIVIC LEADER INTERVIEWS

Civic leaders are the easiest group in the community to begin interviewing and, depending upon the target area, the newsroom may already know some of them. These leaders will be able to identify other civic leaders and catalysts to interview. The conversations will help journalists develop a fuller picture of the target area, a picture that will only become richer as the interviewing continues. 

Moving Ahead

“DON’T GET CAUGHT”

When trying to move beyond the “usual sources,” journalists sometimes reach out to more people, yet the same kinds of people. To find and tap civic spaces and conversation, journalists must move beyond the usual officials and civic leaders.