Introducing podcast Re-engaging: Exploring new ways of doing journalism

It’s no secret that journalism in Canada continues to face enormous challenges. Low audience engagement and a lack of traditional funding models are crippling local and national news outlets. Fewer people in Canada trust the news media, in no small part because it is increasingly difficult to know which sources of information are reliable. Only 37 per cent have confidence in the news, according to Statistics Canada. 

Amid an ever-evolving news environment, journalists are seeking new ways to address these challenges.  

In June 2024, Concordia University hosted professors, practitioners and community members from across North America at the  Engaged Journalism conference. The event aimed to explore how approaches to journalism that prioritize connecting audiences with journalistic work and building relationships between communities and journalists can pave a new path forward for the journalism landscape.

The practice of engaged journalism is on the rise.  It provides a framework for journalists to build and maintain relationships with their audiences, while fostering meaningful connections with communities traditionally underserved by legacy media. 

This series was recorded during that conference in the heart of downtown Montreal. Throughout four episodes, we’ll hear the insights that media scholars, professionals and even funders shared  about the challenges and rewards of this approach. We’ll hear from pioneers of an engaged journalism approach, while considering both the ethical implications and practical applications for newsrooms and universities. 

This series is a collaboration between the Community Podcast Initiative at Mount Royal University and J-Source. 

Episode 1

Ethical considerations for community-engaged journalism

Community-centred journalism can sometimes seem at odds with traditional media practices. Sources rarely see an article before publication and even then newsrooms have complete control over a story. Engaged journalism flips this dynamic on its head, but there are a number of ethical factors newsrooms must first consider. 

In this episode, host Jessica Botelho-Urbanski, sits down with Toronto Metropolitan University professors April Lindgren and Nicole Blanchett to explore how news outlets can maintain editorial independence while fostering relationships with communities.