Nieman Lab.
Predictions for
Journalism, 2024.
2024 will be the year we focus more on durable, not disposable journalism.
Have you ever researched and filed a story only to struggle to remember what it was about a day or two later? The flow of news is so rapid that if the people writing the stories can’t remember them, what do you think it’s like for people trying to keep up and keep informed?
At the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative, we’re striving to make stories that aren’t exactly evergreen, but will be useful for months or longer. When we listen to people in our community, they want stories that don’t feel like they will be out of date in a few hours. They’re busy and when they do take time to read news about their community, they want something that’s important and lasting. They’re interested in reading the backstory on a persistent problem or something great about their neighborhood that often gets dismissed as “not news.”
Philly residents also tell us they hunger for pieces that demystify topics getting lots of attention. So as the debate roils over whether the NBA’s 76ers will win approval to build an arena in Center City next to Chinatown, our collaborative laid out all the hurdles the project will have to clear to become reality (and how that compares to the process when Washington, D.C. built one).
While journalists have talked about “long tail” stories for a while, making durable reporting in a time when so much is disposable has benefits beyond new clicks on a story that was put to bed a long time ago. They give you the chance to work with individuals and organizations that don’t operate at journalism’s 24/7 pace. For instance, libraries have been receptive to sharing our free community newsletter, but only because it will stay relevant long enough that they don’t have the extra work of having to weed out materials that are out of date. We also connect with neighborhood associations, shoestring nonprofits, and other non-news organizations as a way to bridge the information divide in Philly. However, developing those connections takes time. Setting up a conversation or meeting might take weeks. Having stories that will be useful for months will make the time investment worthwhile for all involved.
Finally, spending more time on durable stories also can help journalists fight burnout and gloominess. In the old days, newspaper reporters would joke that today’s story is tomorrow’s fishwrap. But there’s a toll to putting all that work into a story that quickly feels out of date. Working on a story that will stay relevant and useful feels different — less like we’re on a hamster wheel.
Breaking news is important. Journalists won’t all of a sudden only write pieces that will be useful for months. But I challenge you to try writing a durable story and watch what happens.
Eugene Sonn is director of collaborations at Resolve Philadelphia and leads the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative .
2024 will be the year we focus more on durable, not disposable journalism.
Have you ever researched and filed a story only to struggle to remember what it was about a day or two later? The flow of news is so rapid that if the people writing the stories can’t remember them, what do you think it’s like for people trying to keep up and keep informed?
At the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative, we’re striving to make stories that aren’t exactly evergreen, but will be useful for months or longer. When we listen to people in our community, they want stories that don’t feel like they will be out of date in a few hours. They’re busy and when they do take time to read news about their community, they want something that’s important and lasting. They’re interested in reading the backstory on a persistent problem or something great about their neighborhood that often gets dismissed as “not news.”
Philly residents also tell us they hunger for pieces that demystify topics getting lots of attention. So as the debate roils over whether the NBA’s 76ers will win approval to build an arena in Center City next to Chinatown, our collaborative laid out all the hurdles the project will have to clear to become reality (and how that compares to the process when Washington, D.C. built one).
While journalists have talked about “long tail” stories for a while, making durable reporting in a time when so much is disposable has benefits beyond new clicks on a story that was put to bed a long time ago. They give you the chance to work with individuals and organizations that don’t operate at journalism’s 24/7 pace. For instance, libraries have been receptive to sharing our free community newsletter, but only because it will stay relevant long enough that they don’t have the extra work of having to weed out materials that are out of date. We also connect with neighborhood associations, shoestring nonprofits, and other non-news organizations as a way to bridge the information divide in Philly. However, developing those connections takes time. Setting up a conversation or meeting might take weeks. Having stories that will be useful for months will make the time investment worthwhile for all involved.
Finally, spending more time on durable stories also can help journalists fight burnout and gloominess. In the old days, newspaper reporters would joke that today’s story is tomorrow’s fishwrap. But there’s a toll to putting all that work into a story that quickly feels out of date. Working on a story that will stay relevant and useful feels different — less like we’re on a hamster wheel.
Breaking news is important. Journalists won’t all of a sudden only write pieces that will be useful for months. But I challenge you to try writing a durable story and watch what happens.
Eugene Sonn is director of collaborations at Resolve Philadelphia and leads the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative .
