Credible messenger journalists will examine gun violence from community perspectives
Category: Engagement
Center for Gun Violence Reporting launches to prevent shootings, save lives
The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting will create a new Center for Gun Violence Reporting in Philadelphia that focuses on preventing shootings and saving lives by changing the narrative around this public health crisis.
The Center will be housed at the Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership at Community College of Philadelphia, with support from the Philadelphia COVID-19 Community Information Fund.
The Center will improve reporting on community gun violence by collaborating with journalists and local organizations to raise voices from neighborhoods and broaden the range of expert sources quoted in stories – de-emphasizing the predominant law enforcement narrative.
“Gun violence is a tragedy affecting our communities that we know is preventable,” said Dr. Donald “Guy” Generals, president of Community College of Philadelphia. “The City’s college is the perfect home for the Center for Gun Violence Reporting, because we share the mission of raising community voices to overcome some of the biggest challenges in Philadelphia.”
The Center will be led by longtime Philadelphia multimedia journalist Jim MacMillan, who has been developing the project during his fellowship with the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri.
“Jim did a terrific job of laying the groundwork for this new Center during his fellowship,” said RJI’s Executive Director Randy Picht. “He’s passionate about giving the news industry the knowledge, strategies and encouragement to be at its best when reporting and writing stories that involve gun violence. We’re excited to see this next chapter unfold.”
Programs developed at the Center will include community training sessions on issues such as media literacy, finding better sources, and holding civic leaders accountable. The Center will also create opportunities for members of affected communities to meet with traditional journalists and learn from each other.
Building these trusting relationships will empower vulnerable populations to tell, publish and distribute their own stories. This will help community gun violence to be addressed as a public health challenge that can be eradicated with intervention, education and the pursuit of economic justice.
“Imagine if news coverage of community gun violence in America looked more like the reporting seen around the coronavirus,” MacMillan said. “Instead of watching shallow coverage from the latest crime scenes with only police providing information, news consumers might learn about the causes of – and ways to prevent – gun violence, the latest data in context, or how to keep themselves and their families safe.”
Reports from several cities show elevated rates of COVID-19 cases in the same neighborhoods suffering the most gun violence, suggesting that the same social inequities fuel both epidemics. These overlapping challenges create channels for communication and opportunities for intervention.
IBGVR was among several organizations to receive support from the Philadelphia COVID-19 Community Information Fund, which is led by the Independence Public Media Foundation and the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund.
“Channeling Philadelphia’s spirit, we asked applicants to share with us what love looks like in action. This group of grantees exemplifies those defining characteristics with a mutual-aid approach to news and information,” said Roxann Stafford, managing director of the Knight-Lenfest Fund. “When information is provided in a way that resonates and respects the community, people are able to make the best decisions for themselves, their communities, and those they love.”
In addition to launching the Center for Gun Violence Reporting, IBGVR is collaborating on a new gun violence prevention podcast, working to fund a documentary on restorative justice, developing a newsroom training curriculum, organizing data resources, and advising a project to help families who have lost loved ones to homicide.
“The experts in our network give us many reasons to believe the strategy of changing the narrative will help prevent community gun violence,” MacMillan said. “I’m grateful to all of our collaborators, and these new developments will help us take the work to new levels.”
#BGVR2019 Outcomes and Impact Survey: Preliminary Results
Second TV station now sharing resources for those impacted by gun violence in Philadelphia
Prompted by mothers who lost children to gun violence, several Philadelphia new organizations began sharing resource lists when reporting on shootings last fall and now CBS Philadelphia has joined the movement.
The idea came up during a panel at the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit when participants pointed out that news organizations often share resources when reporting stories about suicide, domestic assault, sexual violence and addiction — but not when reporting on gun violence.
WHYY and Billy Penn took the lead, Resolve Philadelphia refined the process, and NBC Philadelphia got on board soon after.
Now, CBS Philly Managing Editor Manuel Smith has announced that his station is adopting the practice:
Read more about how this collaboration got started: A mom complains about gun violence stories. Philly journalists respond with resources
Here’s the core list in spreadsheet and printer-ready formats, along with a form to submit new resources: Resources for those affected by gun violence
IBGVR founder profiled in Social Innovations Journal
The Social Innovations Journal recently published “Leadership Profile of Jim MacMillan: Humble Leadership in Gun Violence Reporting.” Author Linda Fontanilla is a Doctor of Nursing Practice nurse anesthesia student at the University of Pennsylvania, a former Army nurse with one combat deployment and current service director of Action Tank, which was a partner in the Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit.
REFRAME-NYC postponed
After closely monitoring #COVID19, AFFIRM and Airway Stories have decided to postpone the March 11 event out of an abundance of caution. All ticket sales shall be honored when new date is announced! Thank you for understanding.
Thanks for joining us! Here are some tips for communicating our mission
Nearly 250 people attended the inaugural Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit last month in Philadelphia and the early reviews were good.
But not everybody agrees with our approach and we’re not going bring about change if we only communicate with our allies.
So, we asked IBGVR volunteer Lily Kraxberger, who studies journalism and public health at the University of Missouri, to search and compile the best advice she could find on communicating with our critics.
Here’s what she delivered, and what were’ trying to do. We started by sharing these tips at the end of the summit.
Build rapport
Find where you both agree first. They’ll see you as more reasonable, and you’ll be more understanding of their concerns.
Listen actively
People know if you’re preparing to brush them off. Making someone feel heard strengthens your relationship for discussion.
Give them an out
Acknowledge their prior belief was okay given what they knew then. Now that the situation has shifted, they’re allowed to shift too.
Meet them where they’re at
Not everyone changes their mind right away, or ever. Be patient and know that any progress helps the cause
What if changing the way journalists report on gun violence could prevent shootings and save lives?
The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting has been created to inform a new set of best practices for journalists reporting on gun violence and to explore the hypothesis that changing the way this issue is covered could prevent shooting incidents and save lives.
And we have good reason to believe this work will make a difference.
Here’s what you can do:
- Let us know what you’re thinking.
- Subscribe to receive our free monthly email newsletter.
- Get on the record by leaving a testimonial.
- Or best of all:
Here’s why we need your help this #GivingTuesday
We’re incredibly proud of what we have accomplished this fall but even more grateful to everyone who has made it possible.
Every donor, partner, presenter, volunteer, participant and attendee has given more than we could ever return.
But on the bottom line we are just breaking even.
Our Community Conversations day was priceless but we put most of the funding back into the community and paid related expenses with every remaining cent.
Nearly 250 people attended our recent Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit but even those who paid full price for admission barely covered the cost of catering for one — never mind the expense of bringing top experts in from around the country.
There were also student discounts, partner passes, early bird deals and support for anyone who expressed that cost would be an impediment.
We have more and more reason to believe our work will make a difference — that advancing best reporting practices will help prevent gun violence and save lives — but we need your help to keep up the good work.
Please consider supporting The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting.
Thank you.
Gathering brings journalists to the community to discuss gun violence coverage
Fifteen Philadelphia-based journalists were invited to spend a day with 30 residents from the core communities impacted by gun violence in the city, most of whom had lost several loved ones.
The gathering was convened by The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting in a first step toward informing a new set of best practices for journalists covering the issue and exploring the impact of news coverage on levels of violence.
Conversations were intended to get to know each other better and create opportunities to ask questions and share ideas for how gun violence coverage could best serve the community — and to make lasting connections for future engagement.
The program was hosted by Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight, founder and executive director of Mothers in Charge, a Philadelphia-based national organization focused on violence prevention, education and intervention to support youths, young adults, families and communities affected by violence.
Dr. H. Jean Wright, director of behavioral health and justice-related services in the city’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, led the program with a discussion of trauma related to gun violence and then spent the day working with individuals who had more questions.
Derrick Cain, the community engagement editor at Resolve Philadelphia, introduced his organization which develops and advances journalism built on equity, collaboration and the elevation of community voices and solutions.
Next, Professors Jennifer Midberry and Jason Peifer from The Media School at Indiana University Bloomington led a team of facilitators who led focus group discussions.
Together with community partners, this research team will share their findings at The Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit on Community Gun Violence, a journalism conference which will take place on November 8 at WHYY in Philadelphia.
Finally, every journalist was briefly paired with every participating community member during a series of 15 speed-networking meetings to wrap up the day. Shana Salley-MacMillan of Brandywine Strategies organized and led this segment.
The event was organized in partnership with Mothers in Charge, Resolve Philadelphia and the Coalition of Trauma Centers for Firearm Injury Prevention. Funding was provided by the City of Philadelphia Office of Violence Prevention. The Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists brought many of the participating reporters to the table.
Danielle Blanco of Mothers in Charge led a team of event workers who provided critical services throughout the day, including Rysheda Elliott, Thomas Roach, Kempis Songster and Valerie Todd.
The Initiative is extremely grateful for the efforts of IBGVR Philadelphia operations coordinator Alison Burdo and Kate Black, associate director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at Columbia University, both of whom were also in attendance.
IBGVR director Jim MacMillan is a residential fellow with the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.
His work has been advised by Temple trauma surgeon and public health researcher Dr. Jessica Beard and and trauma outreach coordinator Scott Charles, who also helped reserve the venue.
We gathered at the Student Faculty Center on the Temple Health Sciences Campus in North Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on the event Sunday, asking: Why is gun violence in Philly ‘exploding’ when solutions exist?
Journalist Chantale Belefanti meets with community participants. Belefanti recently reported in a similar event at the Germantown InfoHub for The Philadelphia Tribune.
Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight of Mothers in Charge introduces Dr. H. Jean Wright from the city’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services
Manuel Smith discusses journalism with community participants. Smith is the president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists and northeast bureau assignment editor for NBC News.
Philadelphia Magazine columnist Ernest Owens meets with community representatives.
Mensah Dean, who covers crime, violence and corruption for The Philadelphia Inquirer, meets with community representatives.
WHYY reporter Ximena Conde discusses news coverage with community representatives.
Abraham Gutman, a member of The Philadelphia Inquirer’s editorial board, meets with community representatives.
Dr. H. Jean Wright, director of behavioral health and justice-related services in the city’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, led the program with a discussion of trauma related to gun violence and then spent the day working with individuals who had more questions.
Vincent Thompson of WURD Radio discusses gun violence coverage with with community representatives.
Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight speaks with Chris Malo, who manages PhiladelphiaNeighborhoods.com.
Dr. H. Jean Wright, director of behavioral health and justice-related services in the city’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, led the program with a discussion of trauma related to gun violence.
WHYY reporter Aaron Moselle meets with community representatives.
Community representatives share their thoughts with journalists in attendance.
Martin Pratt of Your Black News meets with community representatives.
Community representatives share their thoughts with journalists in attendance.
Community representatives share their thoughts with journalists in attendance.
Philadelphia Inquirer political writer Chris Brennan meets with community representatives.
Dr. H. Jean Wright leads the program with a discussion of trauma related to gun violence.
Freelance journalist Bobbi Booker meets with community representatives.
Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight introduces Shana Salley-MacMillan of Brandywine Strategies, who organized and led the speed-networking segment of the event.
Chris Malo, who manages PhiladelphiaNeighborhoods.com, meets with community members.
Community representatives share their thoughts with journalists in attendance.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on the event Sunday, asking: Why is gun violence in Philly ‘exploding’ when solutions exist?