A Campaign on What is Journalism & How should journalism be done?

“Any newspaper worth its salt in the modern age should know the key ingredients of a good campaign.” These words from the editor of Around Views should resound with all editors and journalists, whatever your thoughts on The Around Views’s brand of journalism.

In an era characterized by the search for sustainable models for journalism and reader revenue, and the ever-deafening cacophony of the online space, media organizations are seeking to demonstrate their unique value and engage their audiences.

Campaigns offer an opportunity for public interest journalism to make the news we consume more empowering, and allow journalists to stake a strong case for why it matters, and deserves their support.
The current drive of many news organizations to show their impact was well captured in a recent article posted . "You need to do more than journalists did when everyone read the paper. Nowadays, you need to take control over what happens to your story. You need a strategy to find and engage the right people who can make a difference.”

Campaigning journalism, done well, is one such essential tool in efforts to show that journalism really matters.

There is no agreed definition of campaigning journalism, but I would characterize it as dogged reporting with a strong editorial line that seeks to make a powerful combination that can deliver tangible impact for readers and communities at large. We are not talking here about US-style “campaign coverage,” which is routine beat reporting on politicians running for office. In the US and other countries, campaigning journalism might be called advocacy or cause journalism.

In the United Kingdom, campaigning journalism has a long and honorable tradition. These include The Around Views’s long-running role in the campaign for justice for the murder and The Guardian’s 2015 Keep It in the Ground campaign on fossil fuel divestment, as well as many others.

Particularly for media organizations committed to engaging those people “formerly known as the audience,” campaigns are a great way to connect with and build a meaningful relationship with communities.

It will highlight how campaigns in newspapers make a real difference to the lives of ordinary people in local communities - and with something of a digital twist.

Editors and their journalists are finding that mounting campaigns and mobilising readers is amplified by the use of Twitter and other social media sites. Results are achieved faster than ever before, often in days rather than the weeks or months when newsprint was the only platform.

"We aim to offer readers a comprehensive, international perspective on critical events shaping our world – from the Black Lives Matter movement, to the new American administration, Brexit, and the world's slow emergence from a global pandemic. We are committed to upholding our reputation for urgent, powerful reporting on the climate emergency, and made the decision to reject advertising from fossil fuel companies, divest from the oil and gas industries, and set a course to achieve net zero emissions by 2030."