Colorado’s local and statewide newsrooms and nonpartisan community and civic leaders and institutions are invited to join forces with Rocky Mountain Public Media, Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation, the Colorado Press Association, Colorado News Collaborative, and the Colorado Media Project in a statewide campaign to reclaim and reimagine the public square across all of Colorado’s 64 counties.
Against the headwinds of divisive national rhetoric, increasing polarization of local communities, collapsing trust in our public institutions, digital overwhelm and social isolation — this initiative aims to support local newsrooms as conveners of place-based conversations that bring community members together to identify, shape and amplify local news and civic dialogue that is trustworthy, respectful, inclusive, accessible and representative of local priorities.
Research shows that local “bridging” institutions – including local newsrooms, libraries, schools, community and civic groups – all have unique and important roles to play in pushing back against the rising tide of polarization and dehumanization, both online and in person. By intentionally creating spaces where diverse groups of local people can engage with one another as people — not as algorithm-curated voting blocs — genuine conversations about common strengths, aspirations and concerns can spark empathy, mutual understanding and creative solutions.
With catalyzing support from CMP, leadership from Rocky Mountain Public Media’s community engagement team, training and support from CSU’s Center for Public Deliberation, and industry coordination from CPA and COLab, this initiative will support local newsrooms throughout 2024 with:
a coordinated, statewide, community engagement initiative designed to build trust and local civic capacity and equip residents with ways to address mis/disinformation in an election-year, by focusing attention on trustworthy local news that amplifies the voices, stories, assets and priorities of local people (rather than polarizing tropes and national narratives)
a statewide and local reporting project, built on these engagements and a common set of questions, that tell the story of Coloradans views of the state and their hopes, aspirations and concerns
customizable collateral that unites the statewide community engagement and reporting projects, and spotlights the important role that Colorado’s local newsrooms and trusted nonpartisan partners play in a healthy public square
a menu of online workshops with practical tools and protocols, along with ongoing consultation, to support various types of community engagement — including community listening, deliberative journalism, in-person and online civic engagement strategies, surveys, and more
All Colorado newsrooms are invited to participate in this project to the depth of their choosing. This could range from promoting the initiative and encouraging your audiences to participate in regional events, to asking your community the common questions (to be developed in conjunction with participating newsrooms), to reporting the results and ensuring your community is represented in the statewide reporting, to joining a cohort that will receive additional training and support for community listening and engagement, and/or joining the steering committee for the project.
Up to 25 interested newsrooms or coalitions will be selected to participate in a cohort that will receive:
1:1 consultation from the RMPM team to discuss local contexts and opportunities, and help newsroom leaders develop a community engagement roadmap for 2024 and beyond that is sustainable for local newsrooms and coalition partners
support with local partner identification and outreach (where needed)
event planning and on-the-ground facilitation support for newsroom-led regional and/or local community events across Colorado
stipends of at least $1,000 to cover event hard costs to host community-based meetings that engage a broad range of residents
The long-lasting goals of this initiative are to build capacity within Colorado’s local newsrooms to:
host meaningful community engagement opportunities that help local people better understand each other, weigh diverse viewpoints on important local issues, and acknowledge and build community capacity to make better decisions together about our shared concerns
build or strengthen authentic relationships and trust among both existing members/readers/listeners/viewers and new local audiences
utilize community feedback for user-centered design to inform the topics, sources and priorities newsrooms elevate individually and collectively as journalism organizations serving all Coloradoans
develop a collective, statewide network of “community ambassadors” representing each of Colorado’s 64 counties, who will facilitate ongoing relationships and feedback channels between local newsrooms and the communities they cover, helping newsrooms remain relevant, impactful and reflective of all of the state’s residents
Throughout 2024, newsrooms that are selected to participate in the cohort and receive stipends will commit to:
Attend a cohort kickoff webinar on March 28 from 3:00-4:30 p.m. MT and at least 4 additional Zoom-based planning/training workshops throughout the course of the year
Work with initiative leaders and other local newsrooms and partners to identify key strengths and assets in local communities, and make new connections with underserved or underrepresented members of your community
Use shared branding and collateral (customizable with your local logo/s) to promote the statewide initiative and local public events (and coordinate with partners on sponsorship opportunities!)
Participate in a coordinated “season of listening” that launches in April 2024 – through 1:1 discussions with residents, community forums, pop-up newsrooms, or other newsroom-selected engagement opportunities
Work with coalition partners to develop a set of common questions for guiding conversations with community members
Submit responses to a common collection point and utilize data to inform future stories, news products, and/or additional engagement
Host at least one additional event in 2024 that engages a broad range of local residents to address a local issue through deliberative dialogue
Submit impact reporting to RMPM and CMP for real-time cohort learning and development into a summative, public report
Interested in joining us?
To indicate your interest in the various options for participation, and to be considered to join our first round of partners, complete this short application form no later than 9 p.m. MT on Sunday, March 10, 2024.
Please note that you will be asked to verify newsroom leadership-level support for your participation, share your goals and objectives for participating in the initiative, and identify prospective or committed community-based partners.
If you have any questions about the info session or application, please contact Sam Moody, Associate Director for the Colorado Media Project, at sam@coloradomediaproject.com, or Rachel Pickarski, Colorado Press Association Partnerships Manager, at rachel@colopress.net.