The Collaborative Journalism Summit happened last week in Montclair, N.J., at the Center for Cooperative Media. The room was full, the attendee swag was clever and the schedule promised to deliver the best sharing of lessons around journalism collaboration and news partnerships we could ask for.
“It’s history in the making”
Every single person in this room is interested in collaborative journalism and that's pretty much the coolest thing ever. #collaborativej pic.twitter.com/Zg4W2FzlTC
— Heather Bryant (@HBCompass) May 4, 2017
Looking forward to the part of #collaborativej where we all get this as a group tattoo pic.twitter.com/n9wC10kdw7
— Cole Goins (@colegoins) May 4, 2017
How can technology elevate voices and stories? @oliviama presents on @googlenewslab #collaborativej pic.twitter.com/4khHgOxLd9
— Isabel Vázquez (@ifvazquez) May 4, 2017
“I look and stare so deep in your eyes”
The day started off with a keynote by Emilia Díaz-Struck, research editor for the Panama Papers project where she talked about the deep level of coordination that was required for journalists and news media around the world to collaborate on such a large project.
Collaborations are like long-term relationships, mutually beneficial and based on respect #collaborativej
— Media Impact Funders (@MediaFunders) May 4, 2017
At #collaborativej, @EmiliaDiazCL is talking about innovating while collaborating during #PanamaPapers pic.twitter.com/JzJtfK1EaJ
— Jason Alcorn (@jasonalcorn) May 4, 2017
Great summary of the massive coordination and tools used by @ICIJorg for reporting on #panamapapers #collaborativej https://t.co/3g5H5Q7SnO
— Elaine Chen (@elainejchen) May 4, 2017
This should be rule number one for any collab: destroy your ego. @EmiliaDiazCL is preaching it right. #CollaborativeJ
— Cole Goins (@colegoins) May 4, 2017
“Your love can do what no one else can”
All day long a recurring theme was the impact of partnerships. We heard example after example about how collaborations enable journalists to make major changes with their reporting. Change-making journalism used to be routine when well-staffed newsrooms had big budgets, but today’s it’s harder to do alone.
Partnerships help newsrooms fill the gaps in their resources and delivery a powerful impact through their work. Of course, there’s still open debate about what the impact of journalism should be, and in the question-and-answer sessions we heard differing perspectives.
How powerful is collaboration in journalism? See for yourself at #collaborativej. https://t.co/JbGNS5BxnK pic.twitter.com/asNeGF0vdB
— Eric Ortiz (@erictortiz) May 4, 2017
Trust key to getting sometimes-competitors to work together for bigger reach/impact, says @hamiltonmartha abt Panama Papers #collaborativej
— Tim Griggs (@HeyTimGriggs) May 4, 2017
Another important theme from the #PanamaPapers team: a good collab leverages partners' unique skill sets / approaches #CollaborativeJ
— Cole Goins (@colegoins) May 4, 2017
How to define impact? The world is different afterward, says @kleinmatic citing @dicktofel paper: https://t.co/YPAIHVclH9. #collaborativej
— Heather Bryant (@HBCompass) May 4, 2017
“Impact for us is if the world is different afterwards” – @kleinmatic. But whose world? #collaborativej
— Andrew Losowsky (@losowsky) May 4, 2017
Collaboration in journalism needs a "values based approach" and the goal should be "long term relationships" – @OdetteKeeley #CollaborativeJ
— Josh Stearns (@jcstearns) May 4, 2017
“But I still don’t understand”
The Panama Papers. Electionland. These are huge collaborations with hundreds of people involved. How do partnerships come together at a smaller scale? I joined Tim Griggs on stage to talk about research each of us has been doing to answer that question, and then a terrific parade of practitioners shared the lessons they have learned being in the trenches on collaborations.
Great talk on #collaborativej do's and dont's by @HeyTimGriggs and @jasonalcorn https://t.co/osq6HE4h5N pic.twitter.com/dyQ5hXxvig
— Sarah Stonbely (@SarahStonbely) May 4, 2017
.@CenterCoopMedia This one is about how you can be a partnership guru + easy/medium/hard tips for locals and nationals #collaborativejhttps://t.co/NThQpEQ8pu
— Tim Griggs (@HeyTimGriggs) May 4, 2017
.@jasonalcorn on nonprofit / commercial newsroom collaborations: it's not simple. #CollaborativeJ pic.twitter.com/kEFQ7P7S2z
— Isabel Vázquez (@ifvazquez) May 4, 2017
What do nonprofits offer to collaboration? cost savings, experience with collaborations, specialized reporting skills #collaborativej
— Heather Bryant (@HBCompass) May 4, 2017
What do commercial newsrooms offer to collaboration? Cash, support for nonprofit's mission, access to resources #collaborativej
— Heather Bryant (@HBCompass) May 4, 2017
.@kleinmatic not good to formalize all partnrshps, "need flexibility," don't know what you'll have until lots of reporting #collaborativej
— Elaine Chen (@elainejchen) May 4, 2017
Big well funded orgs: written agreements are a pain-don't use them. Smaller Community outlets- we want an agreement #CollaborativeJ #equity
— Jo Ellen Kaiser (@jgksf) May 4, 2017
Themes emerging today and continuing to be discussed: communication, clarity of goals and roles, shared portals for project #collaborativej
— Heather Bryant (@HBCompass) May 4, 2017
Woah! @d_holli described the City Bureaus program that pays residents to cover & report on every public meeting in Chicago #collaborativej
— Naeema Campbell (@naeemac) May 4, 2017
"Organizations that live to partner" discuss making/maintaining partnerships #CollaborativeJ @soljourno @colegoins @d_holli @ConversationUS pic.twitter.com/l34ckhvkkW
— Public Narrative (@PublicNarrative) May 4, 2017
Charlottesville Tomorrow gets donors from local paper; paper gets free investigative content. #CollaborativeJ
— Jo Ellen Kaiser (@jgksf) May 4, 2017
Reveal was born over a beer, @colegoins says. All great collaborations come from informal conversation – I agree #CollaborativeJ
— Carrie Brown (@Brizzyc) May 4, 2017
“Got me hoping you’ll page me right now”
Maybe the most exciting news of the day was an open call for collaborative reporting projects that will be funded by the Rita Allen Foundation. The deadline to apply is June 30, then three projects will be awarded $7,000 each to fund their project.
I am SO EXCITED to announce this new fund to support collaborative reporting! #collaborativej https://t.co/zR6dB6PROC
— Stefanie Murray (@StefanieMurray) May 4, 2017
.@CenterCoopMedia More details on how to apply to the new collaborative journalism fund: https://t.co/g1gGPvwudS #CollaborativeJ
— Josh Stearns (@jcstearns) May 4, 2017
Jason Alcorn (@jasonalcorn) is the Metrics Editor for MediaShift. In addition to his work with MediaShift, he works as a consultant with non-profits and newsrooms.
