Host:
Steve Dubb
Participants:
- Jennifer Brandel
- Caitlin Tapier
- Eve Pearlman
- Liz Haikes
Why the question?
- Steve: Solidarity economy practitioner, now at NPQ
- Shift communities, not just community journalism from “being fed” to “feeding ourselves”
- The same thing is happening in journalism as in the economy as a whole
Needs
- Demystify terms and debunk
Example: “Free market economy” does not exist.
Conditions of “perfect competition,” no monopoly do not exist. For example, if perfect competition existed, company advertising and lobbying budgets would be zero, because by definition such expenditures would reduce profits. Obviously, this is not true.
- Reveal how “pay to play” works in all sorts of different ways.
- Make people aware of paths to control resources and build economies that work for them (e.g., community banks).
- Help people understand the business model is the message and is directly related to equity. Wide variety of forms: community land trusts, cooperatives, new forms of community credit, worker ownership, and community (multi-stakeholder) governance of the economy.
- Share and explain the business models of what you cover and how they relate to challenges and opportunities.
- How to make socialistic principles less of a “dog whistle”/triggering?
- Solutions stories about local ownership, co-ops, credit unions
- Teach reporters how to follow dollars and learn about ownership business models and incentives.
Nonprofit media: could be seen as part of the solidarity economy; could they benefit from seeing themselves as part of a broader community movement to transform the economy?
Strategies
- NPQ: Think of ourselves as journalistic organizers. Funding model: subscriptions, ads, membership revenue plus philanthropy.
- Help people get needed stories into the press.
- Source stories directly from the community, authored by community members.
- Partner with intermediary organizations to co-produce series (e.g., labor organizers, solidarity economy).
- Webinars: series of about 40 webinars to date, average audience of 200-400 people live. For example, there was a webinar on community-owned media as part of that series. Also, produce audio clips (short-form content) from the webinars.
- Create a glossary of terms of economic justice
- Allow free republishing to non-profit news/community.
- Articles and webinars talk about what is not working too, not just highlighting successes. Focus on reflecting on practice and improving practice over time.
Change = dissatisfaction plus vision plus plan
(community organizers, mediators, libraries)
Levels:
- Fundamentals
- Practitioners
- Edge-Innovation
Possible partners:
- NEC (New Economy Coalition)
- Zebras United
- Black and Brown founders: Inclusive Capital Collective
Final thoughts:
- Make business model part of nonprofit journalism onboard experience.
- There is power in community economic literacy.
- Power mapping within stories.
- Trusting news: Explaining business model and funding
- Rejecting the tyranny of the clock: Spend time to find community economy strategies.
Ways to Expand Impact
- Voice service
- Localizing
- Re-publishing content being generated through NPQ and its partners