13 -14 November (Arrival Day 12 November)
Brussels, Belgium
European Committee of the Regions
Ten participants from Croatia, Greece, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom took part in this training, held for the first time.
The training aimed to help journalists understand solutions journalism and how they can use it daily to improve their editorial coverage and reconnect with their audience.
The training took place at the European Committee of the Regions. It also provided an opportunity to discover the work of the Committee, and the services offered to journalists by its audiovisual department.
The training was led by Sophie Roland, a French investigative journalist and a certified trainer in Europe for Solutions Journalism Network (SJN). She trains French TV channels, (private channel TF1, public broadcaster France TV), national and local newspapers (Libération, La Croix) and school students in climate and solutions. In 2023, she was a coach for Telemundo Miami in the Climate Beacon Initiative, launched by SJN. In 2022, she co-authored “Upgrading journalistic practices to tackle the ecological emergency: a charter”, signed by 2000 journalists and 200 newsrooms and organizations in France. For more than 20 years, she worked for French National Public TV, France Télévisions, including popular investigative programs “Envoyé Spécial” and “Cash Investigation.”
The schedule
Day 1
Meeting point at the hotel reception: some logistical information will be given to participants.
Day 2
9am - 1pm
- Why solutions journalism is a key to avoid news fatigue?
Viewers are tired of bad news that does not include any mention of what others are doing to resolve problems. Solutions journalism can be an answer to the “users need” and reconnect the media with their audience.
-What is solutions journalism and what it’s not?
Understand the 4 pillars of solutions journalism to make balance and rigorous stories.
Exercise 1: Analysis of TV solutions stories, good and bad examples.
2pm - 6pm
- How to do solutions journalism?
Discover the tips to practice good solutions journalism and avoid advocacy. We’ll share some strategies for applying solution concepts throughout your reporting process.
- What the topics we can cover?
Solutions stories can be everywhere: society, economics, politics, climate, sports, culture etc.. We’ll see how to find them.
- Exercise 2: pitches on solutions stories in group.
Day 3
- Examples of good solutions stories and formats in the media in Europe and worldwide.
- Exercise3: participants will work on solutions angles and new solutions formats.
- Resources.