Topic: Identifying, Recruiting. Training and Retaining Community Journalists<\/p>\n
Convener: Scott Hall<\/p>\n
Participants: Dave, Cecily, Clyde, Martin, Linda<\/p>\n
Recruits may come through grapevines, word-of-mouth, people who walk in the door, \u201ccareful solicitations\u201d<\/p>\n
Careful solicitations \u2013 journalism is a tough job, requiring odd hours and rigorous writing and reporting skills. You can\u2019t expect and shouldn\u2019t require recruits to acquire these skills to qualify as a community journalist.<\/p>\n
So you identify their passions, hobbies, expertise and facilitate their sharing.<\/p>\n
Bloggers in your area may be a place to look for recruits.<\/p>\n
Their areas of expertise may not be the core issues or priorities of your professional newsroom. You have to let go of that control and become the facilitator.<\/p>\n
The professional journalist or facilitator shapes or creates the format or context, and guides the expression of the material to some degree.<\/p>\n
Retaining community journalists: their passion and the facilitator\u2019s thoughtful cultivation of those interests and skills will sustain their interest\/participation. Maintain the relationships and provide the resources for their \u201csharing\u201d (as distinct from reporting).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Topic: Identifying, Recruiting. Training and Retaining Community Journalists Convener: Scott Hall Participants: Dave, Cecily, Clyde, Martin, Linda Recruits may come through grapevines, word-of-mouth, people who walk in the door, \u201ccareful solicitations\u201d Careful solicitations \u2013 journalism is a tough job, requiring … Continue reading