Space Between: Collaboration and Community

Our live fireside chat discussed the voices that make a climate difference.

Watch the webinar online here

cXc extend a big thank you to the panellists who shared their knowledge and insights during our Space Between Fireside Chat on Community and Collaboration. Some key takeaways from the session:

Trust is Earned: Critically the conversation highlighted how trust must be earned consistently over time if journalists expect communities to feel included, heard and willing to help. It is in building this trust, over time and locally, that community relationships are built. There is a cyclical nature to community trust that starts with understanding, then requires sharing the story back so people can see themselves being represented accurately. This results in action either locally, regionally or globally in a way that people can see the change. 

Local Excellence in Data & Training: Local data, research and knowledge is needed to ground stories. Leveraging this not only allows accurate and just reporting: it builds a local, regional and global case for impact. Climate training is a valuable resource to journalists; but mining for local data that supports a story demanded by local communities brings excellence to climate journalism. It is the intersection of community, data and policy that the value of storytelling becomes amplified. 

“Find the ‘why’ of the story. Find the significance of the story and really understand the greater importance of why it needs to be written. Then there will be a natural understanding that collaboration is the easiest way to get a great story, to practise telling it and to learn.”

Frederick Mugira, Founder Water Journalists Africa, co-founder InfoNile

Partnership is Powerful: It is in the collective voice that things can change. The power of partnership is not only in the local community storytellers but the regional and global similarities united by climate change. Local voices need to be heard on a global subject, and global change comes from unification. Climate change is being felt the world over, it is a trans-boundary issue, meaning partnerships need to transcend geographical boundaries. 

“Partnership, not competition! Making impactful climate journalism the goal makes partnership a great way to get there.”

Mercy Abang, Managing Director of Berlin based Unbias the News

Optimism Combats Climate Fatigue:  Fear, anxiety and doom dominate the headlines causing climate fatigue and news disengagement. Climate change has been around for decades: journalists must now find new ways to tell stories and engage younger audiences. Optimism and hope is needed to solve an issue that inherently seems hopeless. It is up to journalists, editors and content creators to change the narrative. 
‍

“Hope is a product of action. Inspire people so they believe things can change. If we want to effect positive change journalists cannot get stuck in the doom and gloom of climate.”

Lou Albano, Managing Editor at GMA, The Philippines’ leading broadcast media

‍
About this webinar

There has always been power in community voice. Now more than ever, the ability to harness it for social and environmental purposes is at our fingertips. This panel of thought leaders shares different ways of using community collaboration for reporting. It provides insight and inspiration to inform newsroom and creator strategy that promotes action that can inform climate consciousness. 

‍

‍

‍