Reporting in the Age of Social Justice: Essential tools for journalists working through a time of unprecedented change
In this six-week online course, early- and mid-career journalists will learn perennial reporting and storytelling tools to elevate their coverage and probe the evolving ethics of today’s critical social justice issues.
CNN contributor and National Geographic explorer John D. Sutter returns as Poynter guest faculty to lead this workshop, bringing in prominent guest speakers who will share their field-tested tips for covering the accelerating social change of 2020, including: Juan Arredondo, a photojournalist whose images explore social inequality and frequently appear in The New York Times; Robert Samuels, a national political reporter at The Washington Post, who focuses on the intersection of politics, policy and people; and Erin Ailworth, a reporter at The Wall Street Journal who has increasingly made “disaster” her beat. Workshop participants will not only learn from these experienced reporters during weekly sessions, but also have the opportunity to receive one-on-one, personalized coaching from them.
By the end of the workshop, participants will have the skills, connections and inspiration to cover social justice movements safely, ethically and poignantly.
Schedule
Participants will convene for live video sessions each Thursday between Sept. 10 and Oct. 15 from 2-4 p.m. Eastern. Each session will focus on building skills related to reporting during a time of unprecedented change and feature guest instructors and interactive Q&As. Participants will also receive a 45-minute individual coaching session with a guest faculty member during the program.
- Sept. 10: Finding and pitching the big story
- Sept. 17: Investigative reporting essentials
- Sept. 24: Protests, rallies and pandemics
- Oct. 1: Empathy in interviewing
- Oct. 8: The power of observation
- Oct. 15: Managing (and editing) yourself
Sessions will be recorded and accessible to participants afterward if they are unable to join live.
Course learning outcomes
After six weeks of instruction and personalized coaching, you will learn how to:
- Get the green light on your story idea
- Use basic investigative reporting tactics in a fast-paced environment
- Cover protests and rallies safely and ethically
- Exhibit more empathy in sensitive interviews
- Fine tune your observational skills to charge your storytelling
- Better understand — and plan around — your own strengths and weaknesses
Who should take this course?
Early- and mid-career journalists — writers, reporters, podcast producers, filmmakers, photographers, television producers — who are trying to make sense of the chaos that is 2020 will benefit. We’ll offer perennial reporting and storytelling tools and probe the evolving ethics of this moment.
Lead Faculty
John D. Sutter
Contributor, CNN
National Geographic Explorer
Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT
Instructors
Erin Ailworth
Reporter
The Wall Street Journal
Juan Arredondo
Photojournalist
Cheryl Carpenter
Leadership Faculty
The Poynter Institute
Roy Peter Clark
Senior Scholar
The Poynter Institute
Corey Johnson
Investigative Reporter
Tampa Bay Times
Robert Samuels
National Political Reporter
The Washington Post
Selene San Felice
Staff Writer
Capital Gazette
Jan Winburn
Writing Coach
Poynter Coaches
Participants will have the opportunity to schedule private, 45-minute coaching sessions with one of the following:
- Erin Ailworth — Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
- Juan Arredondo — Photojournalist
- Roy Peter Clark — Senior Scholar, The Poynter Institute
- Corey Johnson — Investigative Reporter, Tampa Bay Times
- Kathleen McGrory — Deputy Investigations Editor, Tampa Bay Times
- John Sutter — Contributor, CNN, National Geographic Explorer, Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT
Training sponsor
The value of this program is $450. Thanks to support from the Democracy Fund, we are able to lower tuition to $150.
Questions? Email info@newsu.org.