INDIANAPOLIS – A September 2019 Gallup poll found only 4 in 10 people have a “great deal” or “fair amount of trust” in mass media to report the news “fully, accurately and fairly.” Whether it’s a report from Capitol Hill or the Capital Grill, Americans should have more trust in journalists.
If not trust, perhaps a better understanding of what reporters, writers, editors, producers and photographers consider when going after a story or asking that ill-timed, embarrassing, even crass question to a politician or sports figure.
To help lay the groundwork for better understanding, the Indiana Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will begin an initiative called “Coffee with a Journalist.”
Simply put, it’s sharing a cup of joe or tea or hot chocolate or even water with those who live and work in your community and who cover your community.
“Journalism is facing a crisis. If people don’t believe or trust what we’re reporting, that’s a problem,” Indiana Pro SPJ chapter president Michael Puente said. “Perhaps just reintroducing who we are and what we do will help in rebuilding trust with Americans, especially Hoosiers. We can explain what we do and why we do it.”
Indiana Pro SPJ members will gather in coffee shops throughout Indiana in the month of March 2020, the month that includes Sunshine Week, which celebrates access to public information.
“We plan to meet with Hoosiers from Gary to Evansville, from Terre Haute to Muncie and of course Indianapolis,” Puente, a reporter who covers Northwest Indiana for Chicago-based WBEZ Radio, said. “Journalists aren’t perfect people but perhaps with simply talking to those who we want to inform will go a long way in building understanding and increasing trust. We may not change someone’s mind but dialogue never hurt anyone, especially when it’s coupled with a hot cup of coffee.”
For more information, visit Indiana Pro SPJ’s Facebook page or contact Michael Puente at michael.puente86@gmail.com or call (312) 342-0056.
The Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists promotes the development of current and future journalists by offering training and networking opportunities and college journalism scholarships.