From the digital editor
Earlier this month was the first-ever Democracy Day, a collaborative effort among news outlets and journalism organizations to draw attention to threats to U.S. democracy — and the threats journalists and news organizations face while reporting. On September 15, over 100 newsrooms, non-profit organizations and independent journalists published reporting and raised awareness of these threats while also educating the public on how they can spot anti-democratic efforts.
At Nieman Reports, highlights from our coverage include an interview with Chris Quinn, editor of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer in Ohio, on the dangers press restrictions place on a free society; a look at how newsrooms are creating ‘democracy beats’ to move beyond horse race political coverage; and columnist Issac Bailey’s piece on how diversifying newsrooms can help grapple with threats to democracy. You can read more stories on this topic by visiting our Threats to Democracy coverage page.
In addition to our reporting, Nieman Reports contributor Celeste Katz Marston moderated a Twitter Spaces conversation on how newsrooms are carving out dedicated democracy beats. Katz Marston was joined by Tony Marcano, managing editor at KPCC and LAist, and Jessica Huseman, editorial director at Votebeat.
A big focus during the conversation was on the importance of equipping the public with knowledge to make informed voting decisions and why coverage of democracy and voting should be year-round, instead of just during a major election cycle, such as the midterms. “It’s important for reporters to think about the ways in which we can re-engage people in the voting process and make it as fun and exciting as it is,” Huseman said during the chat. You can listen to the conversation and read the full transcript here.
As the midterms approach, we’d love to hear if your newsroom is approaching coverage differently and, if so, what is changing and why. Write back and let me know.
My best,
Adriana Lacy
Digital and Audience Engagement Editor
Nieman Reports
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