Solutions Journalism and the Nonprofit Sector: Turning Hesitancy to Hope

Abstract

Journalism allows people to remain informed, aware and active in the community around them. However, much of the journalism we see today focuses on problems, indiscretions and fraud. Though traditional watchdog and investigative journalism are vital in maintaining a democratic society, they often do not tell the whole story of a community. A newly termed form of journalism called solutions journalism suggests that journalists should focus on people and structures trying to solve community issues, not only on the issues themselves. This thesis first looks at academic literature to examine the state of journalism in the 20th and 21st centuries, and then places these findings in the context of media coverage of the nonprofit sector. Finally, this research gathers first-hand accounts from journalists and nonprofit communications staff members about their personal experiences interacting with one another as well as the impact solutions journalism could have on both journalism and the nonprofit sector.