In January 2023, Chicago Southsider was honored to join the Solutions Journalism Network 2023 LEDE Fellowship, a global movement dedicated to transforming journalism and society by telling the full story. I was part of a cohort of 10 journalism professionals from across the world, representing regions as diverse as:
- Entre Rios, Argentina
- Berlin, Germany
- Vipingo, Kenya
- Medellin, Colombia
- New Delhi, India
- Maranhao, Brazil
- Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
- Kyiv, Ukraine
- Chicago, IL, USA
- New York, NY and Quito, Ecuador
As fellows, we collaborated on ways to grow and retain audiences through solutions journalism while sharing our lessons with peers. Together, we worked toward projects designed to:
- (L)everage audience interests to integrate solutions journalism into content.
- (E)xpand audience access to solutions journalism.
- (D)isseminate knowledge about spreading access, retaining audiences, and generating revenue through solutions journalism.
- (E)liminate barriers to accessing solutions journalism.
This was the fourth LEDE fellowship and the first to adopt a highly focused approach. While past fellowships centered on in-person community events and broad solutions journalism training efforts, the 2023 program narrowed its scope to a singular question: audience access. Each of our projects were unique in its scope, medium, and audience, but all shared the goal of bringing solutions journalism to people who previously lacked access to it.
This fellowship offered an opportunity to innovate, experiment, and amplify the transformative power of solutions journalism in local communities worldwide. Over the course of eight months, we engaged in monthly meetings with our cohort, starting with our first session on February 1 and concluding with a final meeting on September 13. These meetings provided a platform to share progress, exchange ideas, and refine our approaches to audience engagement and storytelling.
Below, I’ll share more about my project, the key findings from my experiments with audience engagement, and the lessons I learned throughout this transformative journey. By leveraging Facebook as a primary platform for solutions journalism and combining it with historical storytelling, I discovered new ways to connect with my community and inspire action.
Expanding Access Through Facebook LIVE and Newsletter Strategy
From February to September 2023, Chicago Southsider developed monthly solutions journalism stories with historical accounts and utilized Facebook LIVE to engage audiences. These stories, distributed weekly through the Beehiiv newsletter, became some of our most-viewed content on ChicagoSouthsider.com. Our efforts focused on community-driven solutions, bridging gaps in understanding, and fostering local engagement.
Project Overview
Our primary goal was to expand audience access to solutions journalism by blending multimedia storytelling with historical narratives and engaging distribution strategies. Chicago Southsider highlighted actionable solutions for the South Side of Chicago, tackling critical issues like vacant lot revitalization and housing development. We utilized Facebook LIVE and newsletters to amplify our reach, ensuring the stories resonated with diverse audiences.
Key Stories and Facebook LIVE Engagement
1. “Selling vacant lots to help revitalize Englewood“
This story explored efforts to transform vacant lots in Englewood into community assets. Featuring interviews with the founder of the community organization RAGE and a local resident, the article integrated a historical timeline showcasing the evolution of Englewood. This comprehensive approach provided readers with both context and actionable insights.
We extended the story’s reach through a Facebook LIVE session, offering a firsthand look at one of the transformed lots. This session generated:
- 40 impressions
- 1 comment
- 10 shares
- 640 views
The article itself garnered 1,363 views on ChicagoSouthsider.com and sparked community discussions on social media. The use of historical accounts deepened readers’ understanding and fostered a connection to the solutions presented.
2. “Five Black developers transform 11 Woodlawn vacant lots into 30 new homes“
In this story, we highlighted how local developers addressed decades of disinvestment in Woodlawn by building 30 new homes on vacant lots. This piece included interviews with community leaders, on-the-ground reporting, and a historical timeline tracing Woodlawn’s transformation.
A Facebook LIVE preview provided a behind-the-scenes look at the development, generating:
- 397 impressions
- 103 comments
- 46 shares
- 4.4K views
The article itself received 3,037 views on our website, making it one of our most successful pieces. Community members expressed excitement and hope for future developments, demonstrating the power of solutions journalism to inspire meaningful dialogue.
Process and Approach
Adapting Solutions Journalism
This project represented a significant shift in our storytelling approach. While Chicago Southsider has long focused on issues affecting the South Side, this fellowship enabled us to integrate solutions journalism principles into our work more intentionally. By emphasizing historical accounts and actionable solutions, we provided our audience with context and clarity about pressing local issues.
We also adapted our strategy by promoting solutions journalism from other publications. Each month, we featured 3-4 stories from the Solutions Journalism Tracker in our Beehiiv newsletter. This collaborative approach amplified the visibility of solutions-focused content and fostered a sense of shared purpose within the journalism community.
Innovative Distribution Methods
- Facebook LIVE: We used Facebook LIVE to preview solutions journalism articles, offering interactive and visually engaging content to our audience. This format allowed us to connect with readers in real-time, answer their questions, and encourage them to share their thoughts.
- Beehiiv Newsletter: Our weekly newsletters served as a hub for solutions journalism, providing readers with curated content, historical insights, and actionable resources. This strategy ensured that our audience had consistent access to impactful stories.
Defining Success
In this fellowship, we defined success as the expansion of audience access to solutions journalism. Achieving this required a shift in focus—from solely producing original content to promoting our solutions journalism stories and those from other publications.
Key Achievements
- Consistent use of Facebook LIVE and newsletters to promote solutions journalism content.
- Increased engagement on our website and social media platforms.
- Strengthened community connections through interactive storytelling and historical narratives.
One of our initial hypotheses was that consistent efforts on Facebook LIVE would significantly increase newsletter subscriptions. While we saw strong engagement on social media, the expected surge in newsletter subscriptions did not materialize. This prompted us to explore new marketing strategies and visual messaging techniques to better convert social media followers into newsletter subscribers.
Challenges and Responses
1. Losing Subscribers
During the fellowship, we experienced a decline in newsletter subscribers while experimenting with different content types. To address this, we:
- Analyzed the performance of various content formats.
- Adjusted our strategy based on audience feedback and preferences.
- Focused on promoting high-performing solutions journalism stories.
This approach helped us regain and grow our subscriber base, demonstrating the importance of adaptability and responsiveness.
2. Drop in Views During Summer Months
Summer months brought a noticeable decline in views, likely due to decreased online activity. To counteract this, we created Chicago Southsider event guides aligned with our newsletter themes. These guides provided readers with engaging, solutions-oriented content related to local events and activities. While this strategy increased readership, we plan to explore seasonal content planning to maintain engagement during quieter periods.
3. Safety Concerns
An uptick in crime in certain areas raised safety concerns for our team during on-site coverage for Facebook LIVE sessions. To ensure our safety, we:
- Deployed additional personnel for on-site coverage.
- Maintained open communication with local authorities and community members.
These measures successfully addressed safety concerns, enabling us to continue our reporting without compromising our well-being.
4. Balancing Content Creation and Promotion
Producing original solutions journalism stories is time-intensive and resource-heavy. To strike a balance, we:
- Reduced the volume of original content produced.
- Focused on promoting solutions journalism stories from other publications.
- Streamlined our workflow to allocate more resources to content promotion.
This approach allowed us to maintain a steady output of impactful journalism while maximizing the reach and visibility of our content.
Insights and Best Practices
Through this project, we gained valuable insights that can benefit other journalists and newsrooms pursuing solutions journalism:
1. Balance Content Creation and Promotion
Finding the right balance between producing original content and promoting it is essential. Effective promotion can amplify the impact of solutions journalism, ensuring it reaches the intended audience.
2. Community-Centered Approach
Building trust with your community is vital. Actively involve community members in the reporting process, listen to their concerns, and address their needs. Engaging with the community fosters trust and provides valuable insights for impactful reporting.
3. Collaboration and Partnerships
Collaborate with other news organizations and community groups to expand your reach and provide diverse perspectives. Sharing and promoting each other’s content enhances the collective impact of solutions journalism.
4. Adapt to Audience Preferences
Pay attention to audience feedback and preferences. Be willing to adjust your content strategy based on analytics and reader input to ensure your reporting resonates with your audience.
5. Diversify Content Types
Experiment with multimedia content, such as videos, infographics, and interactive features. Diversifying your content keeps it engaging and shareable.
6. Safety Precautions
In areas where safety is a concern, prioritize the well-being of your team. Ensure proper safety measures are in place and have additional personnel on-site when necessary.
7. Transparency and Trust
Be transparent about your reporting process, sources, and methodologies. Transparency builds credibility and trust with your audience.
8. Community Events
Hosting or participating in community events related to your reporting topics fosters connections with your audience and provides opportunities for direct engagement.
9. Feedback Loops
Establish mechanisms for audience feedback, such as surveys, comments sections, and social media engagement. Act on the feedback to improve your reporting and strengthen relationships with your audience.
10. Measure Impact
Track the real-world impact of your journalism, not just in terms of views or clicks but in terms of tangible changes and improvements in your community. Highlight success stories resulting from your reporting.
Future Plans
Building on the success of this fellowship, we plan to:
- Host a Community Wealth, Health, and Self-Care Summit in November, streaming the event on YouTube and Facebook to increase engagement and newsletter subscriptions.
- Continue leveraging solutions journalism to drive meaningful change and foster community connections.
- Experiment with creative visual strategies and messaging to better convert social media followers into newsletter subscribers.
Impact and Reflection
This fellowship reinforced the transformative power of solutions journalism to inspire change and strengthen community bonds. By integrating historical narratives, leveraging multimedia platforms, and fostering collaboration, Chicago Southsider has elevated its impact and deepened its connection with the South Side community.
Thanks to this fellowship, we have gained invaluable experience, positioning us to further our solutions journalism efforts. A portion of the funding will support the creation of additional solutions-focused content, ensuring that our work continues to resonate with our audience and drive meaningful change.
