What community journalism has taught me

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.

When I originally started writing articles, I always wanted to go for the biggest story. I wanted stuff that was timely, widespread, controversial – something that would get my story on the front page. I think there is a misconception that if a story is strong enough, it doesn’t matter how well it is told. If it’s a big enough story, everyone will care. But this is far from the truth.

Sometimes, the most important stuff is not what is visible. You can go and cover an event or a match and see what you need to be able to write a surface level story. But the real story lies within what people have to say about it. Reporters must have their ear to the ground for conversations happening before, during, and after, especially those small moments that don’t always make the headline.

I think a good story should carry as much emotion as it does visual elements. In addition to helping people understand what happened, it should make people feel something. Without the emotional details of the story (the “why”), a story may be complete but not meaningful.  

A lot of times, these stories are already being told, just not in the traditional form of media. Community stories are present in conversations between people, on social media, or in the ways a community reacts to something happening around them. Community journalism doesn’t always require reporters to find something new. Instead, they just need to find what is already there. So many doors open when you not only find events to cover, but also find people to listen to.

Community journalism can even be coupled with that ever sought after breaking news that I mentioned earlier. If there is new legislation being enacted in congress, how does that affect the area on a local level? How do people in the community feel about it? Even widespread, national news can sponsor stories in your very own neighborhood.

My biggest takeaway from community journalism is that it’s not just about coverage; it’s about connection. Community journalism in its best form is about truly understanding people and places and events and recognizing that the most meaningful stories are often the ones that are already there. They just have to be written.