Changing the way accountability stories are written takes research, preparation, listening and even a bit of psychology. In an excerpt from from a recent American Press Institute report, here are some recommendations from experts about persuasion and communications — as well as examples from news organizations that are using non-narrative, data and visual elements to make the best of journalism better for audiences.
The Oxford Dictionaries named “post-truth” as the Word of the Year 2016. It is an adjective defined as ‘relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” This attitude of readers choosing their own beliefs over facts has been a huge problem that beset journalism in the past year, with media outlets trying to regain readers’ trusts and debunking false news from dubious digital sites. Here is a list of initiatives to combat fake news that have popped up in response to this challenge.
