How Diverse Thinking Produces Better Reporting

How Diverse Thinking Produces Better

Reportingwith

Margot Carmichael Lester

© 2017 by Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc. All rights reserved. For more information contact Margot Lester at [email protected]

Why We Care About Diversity in the Newsroom

•Our work should reflect our community

•Multiple perspectives drive better reporting and coverage


Kinds of Diversity • Racial • Personality (intra/extravert) • Geographic • Gender/Sexual Identity • Economic/Class • Cultural/Ethnic • Cognitive • Age


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Racial Diversity The percentage of minority journalists was 17% in 2016.

Source: The American Society of Newspaper Editors

More than 33% of Americans are Latino or non-white.

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Gender Diversity

Women reported 25% of TV news, 38% print & 46% digital.

Source: Women’s Media Center 2017 Study

Women are 51% of the U.S population.

Cognitive Diversity •Differences in perspective or information processing styles

•How individuals think about and engage with new, uncertain and complex situations.

Source: https://hbr.org/2017/03/teams-solve-problems-faster-when-theyre-more-cognitively-diverse

Cognitive Diversity

Perspective: Whether we prefer to rely on own expertise or gather ideas and expertise from others

Knowledge Processing: Whether we like to rely on existing knowledge or find new knowledge


Multiple Perspectives Drive Better Journalism by 1. Identifying new or different

topics & angles 2. Empowering deeper reporting

& broader coverage 3. Uncovering biases 4. Reflecting our community

more accurately© 2017 by Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc. All rights reserved. For more information contact Margot Lester at [email protected]

How Multiple Perspectives Drive Better Journalism

5. Helping reporters ask better questions

6. Integrating first-person experiences of editors and reporters

7. Supporting source diversity© 2017 by Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc. All rights reserved. For more information contact Margot Lester at [email protected]

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Tools for Deliberation and Decision-Making

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Guiding Principles • Strike a balance between

applying what you know and discovering what you don’t. This helps us identify different approaches and iterate or create new options.


Guiding Principles • Apply your and others’

experiences, expertise or perspectives.

• Step back to see the bigger picture. This improves our ability to see things differently & clearly.


Run a Better Budget or Editorial Board Meeting

• Solicit input from each person.

• Note all opinions & options. • Gently challenge assertions

& point out biases. • Focus on the goal.


The Goal Fair and accurate

reporting that serves and reflects

the community.


Make Better Assignments

• Explore multiple story ideas and angles.

• Solicit questions & sources from other team members.

• Add perspectives with analysis, op-eds or additional reporting.


The Goal Giving readers the

information they need to make the best possible decisions about their

lives, their communities, their societies

and their governments. Source: www.americanpressinstitute.org/journalism-essentials/what-is-journalism/purpose-journalism/

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Tools to Deal with Conflicts

Make & Keep Small Agreements

• Agree on the problem. • Agree on or revisit your

goal. Every time you make and keep an agreement, your team gets stronger.

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/stevepeha/the-culture-engine-humanpowered-change-for-high

Guiding Principles • Safety: Have compassion for

yourself and others. • Respect: Hold everyone as

able. • Ownership: Be responsible for

your results and perspectives. Don’t blame others.

• Intention: Be clear on the results you want to create.Source: http://www.slideshare.net/stevepeha/the-culture-engine-humanpowered-change-for-high

Conflict Resolution Strategies The Decider Protocol

1. Someone offers a concise and actionable proposal. “Let’s write an op-ed supporting gender-neutral bathrooms.”

2. Everyone votes. Thumb up: Love it! Thumb sideways: I’m OK with it Thumb down: No way!

3. Anyone voting no must make a counter proposal.

http://www.mccarthyshow.com/online/.

Conflict Resolution Strategies Dot Voting

1. Someone jots a concise and actionable proposal on a board or chart paper. “Let’s write an op-ed supporting gender-neutral bathrooms.”

2. Everyone votes. Place a dot sticker next to the option they like best

3. The option with the most dots wins.Source: http://dotmocracy.org/what_is

So?Diversity isn’t a buzzword.

Tapping into the diversity of your newsroom team makes you a better journalist and makes your paper or show a better product.


with Margot Carmichael Lester Twitter: @word_factory

Blog: thewordfactory.com/our-blog Instagram: @beabetterwriter

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How Diverse Thinking Produces Better Reporting

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How Diverse Thinking Produces Better Reporting