by Manuel Chavez, Ph.D., Michigan State University
and Amy Schmitz Weiss, Ph.D., San Diego State University
The Elusive Challenge of Infusing Public Input in the News Process
It is no surprise to see how media companies in the United States are solving their economic problems, especially as related to the print industry: layoffs, hiring freezing, page reduction, international bureaus closings, and ultimately draconian newsroom reductions. The crisis has been more severe here than in other parts of the world mainly because of a voracious economic model that relied heavily in captive traditional advertising. And yes, as one travels to countries in Europe, Latin America, and Asia is startling to see the vitality, size, and variation of newspapers and weekly magazines, simply put: newsstands and traditional press kiosks are alive and well.
There is one international example that shows a successful form of news production with public input that stands out in these challenging times. It is surprising if not paradoxical that a news organization in Mexico for almost twenty years has practiced the inclusion of the public (readers and community members) into the process of creating more attractive and relevant news products from print to websites.
Grupo Reforma is a family-owned organization of four major newspapers in Mexico’s largest cities. El Norte in Monterrey was the first newspaper founded in 1938, decades later in 1993 under the leadership of Alejandro Junco, the group established the daily Reforma in Mexico City to create an alternative to the national newspapers offerings. In 1997, in Saltillo they launched Palabra and a year later, in Guadalajara, they opened the newspaper Mural. In addition, Grupo Reforma recently launched midday tabloids, called Metro, to have a total weekday circulation of 550,000 in 2008.
A Model for Including the Community in the Practice of Journalism
El Norte editors during most of the 1980s perceived a disconnect between the community and the newspaper. That concern led the publisher to create a model that could incorporate readers into the news decision-making process. The original objective was to have a pool of reviewers who could bring up their concerns, comments, ideas, suggestions, and criticisms. These connections generated, however, an important shift in the editorial process: news products that have active input from readers and their communities, the empowerment of citizens, and the re-connection of journalism to the public.
In 1991, El Norte created in Monterrey, the first editorial council to connect the community it served with the newspaper. The two primary objectives of the council were to help the newspaper determine what the readers wanted to see published and to obtain readers feedback. The council provided input about their interests but it also reviewed the newspapers for errors, omissions, biases, and ethical issues.
Now newsroom staff at each section in all of Grupo Reforma newspapers – hard news sections, feature sections and zoned suburban editions – recruit a voluntary editorial council of citizens. Members of the councils are not compensated. Each council is composed of twelve individuals who are readers, opinion leaders, and experts on the area of each newspaper section. Every week, the councils provide a direct assessment of the news printed during that week and also they recommend topics, perspectives, and angles about issues that are relevant to them. The newsroom takes very seriously the input provided by the community and section editors follow up on those recommendations and report back to the council on the status of each of them.
In 2004, Grupo Reforma established a new layer of participatory journalism – thematic councils. The thematic councils are comprised of experts on national topics – education, trade, energy, agriculture, tourism, environment, security and rule of law among them. For these councils, the main objective remains the same – advise the newspaper. This is mostly a pool of academics, policy makers, and practitioners who contribute with their expertise to the preparation of investigative reports for the newspapers. Primarily two newspapers – Reforma in Mexico City and El Norte in Monterrey – recruit and consult thematic councils. Reforma houses four thematic councils and El Norte houses three.
Under the new trends in media technology, Grupo Reforma has evolved with the times and has also developed an editorial council for their news websites. Just as the other councils have done, the website council provides suggestions, comments and advice to the organization on how they can improve the website’s design, presentation and interactive features of the website in today’s digital age. Needless to say, Reforma’s websites are attractive and friendly.
The Factors of Success of the Editorial Councils
In addition to the formal structure of community involvement – including a system for recruiting and rotating council members in and out – there appear to be three factors in the success of the editorial councils of Grupo Reforma: (a) the adoption of the notion that community input and community review and editorial follow-up should be an institutional part of the news process; (b) the development of democratic rules and deliberative procedures of the councils that provides equal participation to all council members; and (c) the strong and deep commitment of the publisher.
The Challenges for American Journalism
American newspapers can learn from the Groupo Reforma model. When more communities engage in a strong partnership with the news media, newspapers gain credibility and citizens are more infused with a sense of civic responsibility. The result – as practiced in some Mexican cities – is shared news production, an empowered community, accountable media; and from the corporate perspective: a vibrant, growing, and profitable media industry. To empower communities and to shift the agenda to non-traditional actors is a real change in paradigm that requires a new vision of journalism.
Moreover, as innovations and technology pose new challenges and opportunities for the news media industry, the example of the editorial councils at Grupo Reforma demonstrate the community’s involvement as an opportunity in this transformative digital age to make sure that the news process is inclusive at all levels. It is a model that strengthens journalism one community at a time.
Manuel Chavez works on issues of international relations, security, democracy, and the press. He studies models of access to information, accountability and transparency, especially related to the news media in Latin America. He teaches courses on the press, society and government in Latin America, and on the sociology of journalism. Dr. Chavez is also the MSU Associate Director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.
Amy Schmitz Weiss is an assistant professor in the School of Journalism & Media Studies at San Diego State University. Weiss is a former journalist who has been involved in new media for over a decade. She also has worked in business development, marketing analysis, and account management for several Chicago Internet media firms. Her research interests include online journalism, media sociology, news production, and international communication.