One key to success for news-academic partnerships is, well — partnerships. Strong rapport, trust and communication must be built between your newsroom and your audience, as well as with key community partners and organizations.

Key Resources

College + Local News Collaboration Considerations (doc), Debbie Blankenship at the Center for Collaborative Journalism

Building relationships with news partners

Key Issues to Discuss Before you Embark on a News Partnership, American Press Institute

Examples of partnership letter template/agreements by the Center for Cooperative Media

CCN Brown Bag Discussion: “Collaborations with Public Media Organizations”

Starting your own news organization

Institute for Nonprofit News Startup Guide

Table Stakes

Sembra Media (for Spanish-language projects)

Strategies for engagement with communities

Engagement resources from American Amplified

Hearken

The Power of Community Listening by Adriana Lacy

Reporting on communities that aren’t your own, Melissa DiPento

Journalists, hold yourself accountable for earning the trust of BIPOC communities. This rubric will help., Joy Mayer of Trusting News

What Can Journalists Learn from Community Organizers, Lenfest Institute

Listening Events (public spaces, town halls, forums, etc.)

• Example: Lunch & Listen
• Example: Front Porch Sessions
• Example: La Voz

Strategic Listening Activities

• Example: Listening Starter Pack for New Social Journalists
• Example: Listening tours with Richland Source
• Example: Audience research through newsletters

Surveys

• Example: How Surveys Helped 5 News Organizations
• Example: The surveys of Santa Cruz Local

Orienting students to communities

Let’s Gather In (guide to Journalists in Relationship with Communities)

• Tours and visits — with leaders, school districts, officials, public institutions, etc.
• Community audits — beat memos, research and observational templates
• Social listening — through beats or key community conversations and leaders

Faculty Resources