Civic Catalyst: Summer 2001

Survey Pinpoints a Sea Change in Newsroom Attitudes and Practices
An unprecedented survey of 512 U.S. daily newspapers with circulations of 20,000 or more reveals dramatic shifts in news topic and a hunger for more interactivity with readers.

Interaction = Connections = Relationships
The future of journalism hinges on fostering connections to the community, according to a national survey of newspaper editors. By Jan Schaffer.

Web Cams: A New Take on Getting Fresh Voices
KVDA-TV, a Spanish-language television station in San Antonio, revolutionizes news coverage by using Web cams that allow community members to join evening newscasts. By Jeanne Jakle, San Antonio Express-News.

Residents Laud Mapping Project; Seek Even More Choices
The Herald's creation of a clickable online map allows Everett, WA, residents to provide input on waterfront development and sparks a community discussion on land use. By Catherine Lee.

Series Triggers New Hispanic Weekly
Alan White, managing editor of The Eagle-Tribune, explains how the paper's exploration of the Batten Award-winning "Unrealized Assets" in Lawrence, MA, led to a Spanish-language weekly aimed at building bridges between Anglo and Latino residents.

Community Mapping Reveals Dire Needs
Executive Editor Kathy Spurlock chronicles The News-Star's "Focus on Education," a civic mapping project that mobilized the community in Monroe, LA, to respond to the needs of its schoolchildren.

What's Happening in Pew Projects
As news organizations in 10 states strive to engage the public in coverage grappling with issues that include growth, medical ethics and education, their communities respond.

Tech Tools Strengthen Civic Reporting
New technology, from Web cams to computer survey kiosks, strengthens civic journalists' ties to the communities they cover. By Dana Clark Felty.

10 Tips on Award-Winning Civic Journalism
Leonard Witt, executive director of the Civic Journalism Initiative at Minnesota Public Radio which produced the award-winning "Guinea Pig Kids," shares lessons on achieving excellence in civic journalism.

Indianapolis Workshop
Panelists describe their newsrooms' continuing efforts to engage the public at a workshop that drew about 100 journalists.