Civic Catalyst: Defining Civic Journalism

Summer 2002

Ten Take-Away Ideas for Civic Coverage
Jan Schaffer, executive director of the Pew Center, suggests some time-tested civic journalism strategies to keep in mind as the Center sunsets at year's end.

Combating Subversive Inactivity
Civic journalism is an arrow in our quiver in fighting subversive inactivity. By Rebecca Rimel.

Summer 2001

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.

Spring 2001

Civic Journalism: The Public "Gets" It
Jan Schaffer, executive director of the Pew Center, describes the changing face of civic journalism -- new tools and techniques that remain true to old values.

Winter 2001

Weaving Your Community's Master Narrative
Focusing on internal rather than external conflict -- the silences rather than the noise -- can provide the most relevant community coverage. By Jan Schaffer.

Roadmap 2005: National vs. Regional Strategies for the Future
Bill Keller, managing editor of The New York Times, Ann Marie Lipinski, vice president and executive editor of the Chicago Tribune, and Gary Pruitt, president and chief executive officer of The McClatchy Co., discuss the emerging roles of news organizations and their visions of the future.

Fall 2000

What's Coming? Will We Be Ready for It? Equipping Journalists for the New Communications Era
Highlights of keynote remarks by Anders Gyllenhaal, Executive Editor of The News & Observer, Raleigh, NC at the AEJMC Convention in Phoenix.

Summer 2000

This is Not Your Father's Newsmobile
Pew Center Director Jan Schaffer discusses how civic journalism differs from traditional journalism, including a checklist to help identify civic journalism - and practice it.

Spring 2000

Just Who Are Today's Citizens?
Media scholar and author Michael Schudson offers his views, from his keynote address at the January civic journalism workshop in San Diego.

Winter 2000

Civic Journalism: Point -- Counterpoint
RTNDA keynoter, NBC/MSNBC Anchor Brian Williams' remarks about civic journalism prompted responses from Ramon Escobar and Jon Greenburg, two broadcast journalists leading the field in developing civic journalism techniques.

Linking Civic and Conventional Journalists
Pew Center Director Jan Schaffer looks at how civic journalism reporting and language are merging with the journalism credibility movement.

Fall 1999

Transforming Journalism Today, Reinventing it for Tomorrow
Pew Center Director Jan Schaffer looks at the evolution of civic journalism and the Pew Center's key role as an R&D center for innovations in news content.

Spring 1999

Civic Journalism: Moving into New Frontiers
Pew Center Executive Director Jan Schaffer takes a look at where civic journalism is headed as we move into 1999.

Spring 1998

Inventing the Future of Journalism: A Wish List
Rem Rieder, editor and senior vice president of the American Journalism Review, delivered a journalistic "wish list" at a workshop in Atlanta in January co-sponsored by the Pew Center and RTNDF.

Civic Journalism: A Work in Progress
The Colorado Springs Gazette is reinventing itself from the ground up; spend a day in the newsroom and see the "civic culture" that Editor Steve Smith is working to create in a new Pew Center video.

Winter 1998

Spokane's Soapbox: A Guide to Civic Journalism
Interactive Editor Rebecca Nappi describes a new civic journalism resource that details the Spokesman-Review's philosophy of civic journalism and the ways that philosophy is reflected in its daily coverage.

Fall 1997

What is News? Broadening the Definition
While explaining the concept of "news" to a reader, the Portland Newspapers' Jeannine Guttman and her staff realize that maybe their definition was too exclusive.

Summer 1997

Is Privatizing Tampa General Hospital Good for our Community?
The Weekly Planet in Tampa Bay frames a complicated issue in their community in a new way, exploring the consequences and options of privatizing a local public hospital.

Spring 1997

Developing New Reflexes in Framing Stories
Is conflict king? Steve Smith of the Colorado Springs Gazette discusses different methods of framing stories from a civic standpoint at a Pew Center/RTNDF workshop in Chicago in March.

Winter 1997

Geting Down and Dirty with the Critics
Should journalism be experimental? Steve Smith of the Colorado Springs Gazette takes on the critics of civic journalism.

Defining Civic Journalism
There are as many definitions of civic journalism as there are civic journalists. Here are a few from panelists at the December 9 workshop, "Civic Journalism Washington Style, Reporting Beyond the Beltway."

Summer 1996

Civic Journalism: Part of the Solution
Matt Storin, editor of The Boston Globe, delivers the Batten dinner keynote address about his experiences working with "The People's Voice" project.

Investing in Risk: Re-engaging the Public
Remarks from The Pew Charitable Trusts President Rebecca Rimel at the Batten Awards dinner in Washington in May.

Winter 1996

Creating New Habits
Ken Doctor of the Pioneer Press discusses the paper's exploration of new territory in trying to make their civic journalism a daily effort.

Winter 1995

Out of the Pressbox, onto the Field
Pew Center's Ed Fouhy talks about the impact of civic journalism on newsrooms across the country.

Public Journalism Primer
Just what is civic journalism? Four practitioners set out their definitions.