One of the easiest ways for news organizations to create conversation within their communities is to allow readers/listeners/viewers to comment on stories instantly either on a home website or on an associated social media page. I followed KHOU-TV’s Facebook site and commented on a story about a man who was sentenced to 70 years for stabbing a security guard trying to prevent the man from stealing a tuna sandwich. By clicking the link above, you can find the story and search for comment #41 left by me.
Another way in which news organizations instigate interaction with their communities is through online polling concerning various topics. One of the sports writers for the Houston Chronicle grades the performances of the Houston Texans after each game and encourages others to share their own grades via online poll. News organizations also encourage community members to send in pictures, video, and information pertaining to local news stories. J.D. Lasica’s article What is Participatory Journalism? points out during the Columbia shuttle tragedy, the Dallas Morning News included photos sent in by members of the community. For people to send in items, they must feel strongly enough about the situation to do so and as a result, they contribute to the conversation process.
Creating conversation in a community allows a news organization to cater more directly to the community by providing insight into members’ feelings about certain subjects. It also allows a news organization to cover a story more completely by enlisting the help of those closest to the situation and those with the most to gain or lose from the outcome.
Check out: Lasica, J.D. “What is Participatory Journalism?”
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