Engaged journalism program to bridge research and practice
I have a somewhat unique vantage point in my position at the News Co/Lab because I work in both the academic and professional space of engagement journalism. I regularly attend events focused on one or the other, but it’s not often that they intersect with a lot of intention. That’s why I’m really excited to take part in an International Communication Association pre-conference on Engaged Journalism on May 24 in Washington D.C. It’s being organized by Andrea Wenzel of Temple University and my Arizona State University colleague Jacob Nelson, two notable researchers in this area.
The schedule brings together an impressive lineup of journalism researchers and practitioners to share research and ideas and explore opportunities for future collaboration. I’ll be presenting highlights from a case study of a recent collaboration between News Co/Lab partners the Fresno Bee and dialogue journalism experts Spaceship Media. I look forward to learning from this group of scholars and journalists whose work I have long admired, and helping develop a research agenda that builds theory and informs and elucidates best practices around engaged journalism.
Kristy Roschke, managing director of the ASU News Co/Lab, is a media scholar and educator. She previously served as executive director of KJZZ – SPOT 127 Youth Media Center, a community initiative of the Phoenix NPR member station that mentors and empowers the next-generation of digital storytellers.