How journalists can build meaningful relationships with communities during a pandemic

As more gatherings are being canceled, it’s time to turn to digital resources to build and reach communities.

Illustration by Bigstock

In ways, we’re more distanced from each other than ever before. How we communicate as a society has been shifting rapidly.

And now, amidst a global pandemic, social distancing is becoming the rule. Our physical gathering places are off limits, many are even shutting down, and local and national authorities are restricting gatherings of more than 10 people.

What does that mean for public media?

Trust in all kinds of media is low: a Gallup poll in the fall of 2019 found that only 40% of Americans have a “great deal” or a “fair amount” of trust in the print, television and radio media they consume.

If early response to the spread of the coronavirus was any indication, that trend is continuing. Some accuse the media of stoking fear, sensationalizing the virus or making it too political.

To regain that trust and produce thoughtful, nuanced journalism is a hefty task. We argue the best approach is better engagement. More time spent in the community listening first to get a real sense of what’s going on, what issues people are facing and what they care about. 

In the midst of a pandemic, this will be challenging. But it’s not impossible. 

At America Amplified, we believe community engagement journalism is a process of cultivating relationships with communities to discover, understand and elevate community needs and aspirations.

It’s perhaps even more important now to prioritize community engagement practices to best serve people news they can use, because information and directives are changing so rapidly, and people are facing new and puzzling anxieties every day.

It’s just that now, a lot of this vital work will happen virtually.

Don’t forget the basics

Hosting call-in talk shows is golden right now. But consider doing it a little differently to maximize the engagement, and the service you can provide for your listeners. A call-in show about coronavirus will fill up the board with callers, many of whom may not make it to air with their questions.

Consider taking down full names and contact information, if callers are willing, along with each question, and experiment with systems for getting those questions answered online.

Try creating an email inbox or a voicemail box to collect questions and contact info, and then pose those questions to experts on a talk show, for example.

Pool the questions you get, and find common themes, and build content around that. It’s a subtle way of putting your audience first — planning your coverage around what they actually need right now. 

Go old school — we’re talking paper, people! 

We’ve been thinking a lot about where people from all backgrounds and walks of life gather… In times like these, that list is really narrowing. Right now, it’s grocery stores and pharmacies. 

Consider designing postcards and flyers to elicit engagement with instructions on how to respond — via email, voicemail or text — and, with permission, posting them on bulletin boards, on front doors or in the entrances of those stores. 

And try mailing them out to your membership lists or target mailing to ZIP codes you want to reach. Also consider partnering with local organizations — like nonprofits, museums, neighborhood groups, schools — to use their mailing lists for your distribution.

‘Gather’ online

In Kansas City, KCUR 89.3, took its daily “Up to Date” talk show to Facebook Live to gather questions from listeners. The show is also now focused solely on coronavirus coverage.

You know you’ll find folks there. Try going live — Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Reddit and Twitter are great forums for scheduling and carrying out live engagement. You can also promote ahead of time.

Consider hosting your regular live talk show on Facebook live to maximize the ways people can get in touch and increase transparency and interaction. 

Instagram has a great function for Q&As in stories. If your station has an account, try it out. You can post a specific or open-ended question, as open as “What questions do you have about coronavirus?” and your followers can submit their questions. Then you can respond publicly in the story. This could be especially beneficial for younger generations. Then be sure to save the story and add it to your profile.

Large-scale events like public forums and listening sessions are off the table for the foreseeable future. Try coordinating Google hangouts or Zoom meetings for certain groups. 

Don’t forget about surveys

If you have access to tools like GroundSource or Subtext for texting or Hearken for collecting questions online, use them. These and other digital tools can help you reach audiences you don’t already have ready access to. 

Be sure to consistently engage with the people who submit questions to establish a long-term relationship  throughout this year and beyond. Engagement can include individual responses or sharing story links.

Be accessible and follow up

If you’re using any of the methods of virtual engagement above, you’re probably racking up dozens and dozens of contacts.

When there’s time, follow up. Jump on the phone. Not just for a one-off — not just to fill a hole in a story. Have conversations. Get to know your source, what their life is really like right now, what issues they’re facing. 

One of our pillars at America Amplified is listening first. Rather than swooping into a community with a story in mind, listen and learn from residents to discover the stories. Even though you can’t physically show up right now, you can, and should, still do this. Connect digitally, and keep in touch. 

Build relationships now and drive continued coverage for later

At the core of community engagement journalism is putting the community first. Right now the challenge for public media journalists — and all journalists — is finding time for this practice while also keeping up with the breaking news cycle. It’s a high stress time. 

Of course you can’t get to every single question you might receive — whether from surveys, calls, tweets, texts — so find a way to keep track. Come back to questions later. Maybe that’s next week. Maybe it’s a few months from now. 

The bottom line? Make sure, whatever your approach, that you’re generating content in a way that builds relationships with your communities and prioritizes their needs, concerns and aspirations. 

And let’s go from there. 

Andrea Tudhope is coordinating producer for America Amplified: Election 2020.
Email her at andrea@americaamplified.org and follow her on Twitter @andreatudhope.