Ten Reasons Why We Need Solutions Journalism
Published in
2 min readNov 10, 2016
- It provides a more complete view of society. When we cover problems but not responses, we omit vast areas of human activity and perpetuate misleading beliefs about reality.
- It provides a more useful feedback mechanism for society. When people receive feedback that includes positive deviance, it enhances their capacity to solve problems.
- It provides information essential to solving problems. Knowing something is broken does not tell you how to fix it.
- It strengthens citizenship. It informs readers about how they can apply their talents to better address social problems.
- It rounds out journalism’s theory of change. There are two ways journalists improve society: 1) spotlight harmful things or 2) spotlight helpful things. Journalists have the power to do both but focus far more on the first.
- It reveals hidden opportunities for social change. Given the media’s bias for negative deviance, much of the world’s problem-solving activity goes unreported and, therefore, possibilities for reform are unrealized.
- It improves journalists’ understanding of society. Regular exposure to effective models will improve journalists’ ability to explain what works and critique what doesn’t.
- It sharpens traditional journalism. Covering creative problem solving activity will help beat reporters add depth, contrast and variety to their work, and may reveal hidden assumptions or blind spots.
- It sharpens investigative journalism, too. Many investigative stories could be bolstered with a discussion of how a similar problem is being successfully addressed elsewhere. When people see how problems can be solved, failure becomes less acceptable. Many good models are being blocked by vested interests. Solutions journalism and investigative journalism can make for a good one-two punch.
- It will attract a new audience. News consumers are weary of a steady diet of dismal news, and no longer satisfied to be passive recipients of the day’s crises, flashpoints and scandals. Citizens, especially young citizens, are interested in finding, enlarging and strengthening what works, and many will pay for news that helps them do this. Solutions Journalism meets this market need.
Are you a journalist who wants to learn how to do solutions journalism? All the tools you need can be found in the SJN Learning Lab.
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