The Meaning of Community
By Mary Nobles Hancock
Mountain Brook High School
Birmingham, AL
The Anniston Star newspaper editor Bob Davis started his June 21 seminar with a question: what exactly is community journalism?
Ideas were thrown out from all corners of the room, ranging from the very broad to the very specific, but the more suggestions that were given, the harder it became to define.
“I don’t know really how to define it, but I know when I see it,” admitted Davis, adding that it can be based on anything from geographic relations to personal relations.
“It’s based on a sense of place, a sense of connectivity, […] it’s all about ‘who’s yo [sic] daddy? Who’s yo people?’” says Davis.
Drawing from his years of experience in the journalism field, Davis continued by giving insight into the world of community journalism.
One advantage community newspapers have, Davis pointed out, was that not only do the journalists report on things, they live them.
“We didn’t just get into town, we can skip the first 12 steps an outsider would take to get to the story,” said Davis.
What Davis encourages journalists to do is to approach a subject, rather than demand information.
After the April 27th tornado ripped across Alabama, Davis sent his reporters into the field to cover the damage and distraught that remained. Instead of going out, getting a quote, and leaving, the reporters spent the whole day helping and researching for their stories. They spent time with the victims and as a result the men and women gradually opened up to the reporters and were able to share intimate stories of their loses.
Davis also stressed that everything must be written about, the good and the bad, citing a reception for Freedom Riders at the 50 year anniversary of the ride.
“It’s important to chronicle that, to give people a sense of time, their time.”
Davis concluded by reiterating that a local newspaper is the voice of the community, no matter its definition.
Mountain Brook High School
Birmingham, AL
The Anniston Star newspaper editor Bob Davis started his June 21 seminar with a question: what exactly is community journalism?
Ideas were thrown out from all corners of the room, ranging from the very broad to the very specific, but the more suggestions that were given, the harder it became to define.
“I don’t know really how to define it, but I know when I see it,” admitted Davis, adding that it can be based on anything from geographic relations to personal relations.
“It’s based on a sense of place, a sense of connectivity, […] it’s all about ‘who’s yo [sic] daddy? Who’s yo people?’” says Davis.
Drawing from his years of experience in the journalism field, Davis continued by giving insight into the world of community journalism.
One advantage community newspapers have, Davis pointed out, was that not only do the journalists report on things, they live them.
“We didn’t just get into town, we can skip the first 12 steps an outsider would take to get to the story,” said Davis.
What Davis encourages journalists to do is to approach a subject, rather than demand information.
After the April 27th tornado ripped across Alabama, Davis sent his reporters into the field to cover the damage and distraught that remained. Instead of going out, getting a quote, and leaving, the reporters spent the whole day helping and researching for their stories. They spent time with the victims and as a result the men and women gradually opened up to the reporters and were able to share intimate stories of their loses.
Davis also stressed that everything must be written about, the good and the bad, citing a reception for Freedom Riders at the 50 year anniversary of the ride.
“It’s important to chronicle that, to give people a sense of time, their time.”
Davis concluded by reiterating that a local newspaper is the voice of the community, no matter its definition.