Five environments where generational solidarity is needed — and how local journalism can help

An inclusive democracy and society requires collaboration from all Americans, regardless of age. How can news leaders do their part to represent and include community perspectives from members of different age groups? The answers matter to democracy and the sustainability of news organizations. They matter to the personal and collective challenges we face — those arising from loneliness and the lack of social connection brought about by the pandemic.

Age is one of the lines of difference we want to help bridge. Generational tension has always existed, of course, but today it is amplified by several factors, both in our communities and our newsrooms.

We heard many ways newsrooms are thinking about intergenerational problem-solving at our recent API Local News Summit on Civic Discourse Across Generations. We gathered news leaders in Denver who spoke with one another about collaborations with students they’ve spearheaded, ways their coverage both looks back and paves the way forward and how these efforts can strengthen civic engagement.

We asked five summit participants to share more about the ways they are engaging and serving multigenerational audiences:

• Rooted in the past, growing for the future: Generational solidarity through ethnic media. India Currents has served Indian immigrants for three decades. It’s now pivoting to serve bicultural audiences where they get their news.
• How student-led community coverage fosters intergenerational connections in a historic LA neighborhood. Kevin Martinez got his start in journalism through a program that helped students report on their  communities. He’s now one of the mentors.
• How a community saved the Plainsman Herald — and what we learned about bridging generations. A 137-year-old paper was on the verge of shuttering when its community came together to keep it running. Owner Kent Brooks details how a county history book marries past and present — and helps sustain the paper’s operations.
• Connect young people with community leaders to shape civic engagement. Bringing local leaders to high schools can deepen civic engagement and dialogue between young people and city government, CivicLex has found.
• Overcoming assumptions: How to facilitate successful multi-generational collaboration. Journalist Donna Ladd met high school student Hart Jefferson while running a solutions-oriented session for young journalists. The two now facilitate these Solutions Circles together, and share some dos and don’ts of communication between generations. 

Gratitude goes to the Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism and Wallace House Center for Journalists at the University of Michigan for supporting our API Local News Summit on Civic Discourse Across Generations. Their support expands public-facing resources like these we can make from this gathering.

To learn more about supporting future API Local News Summits of news leaders, or if you’re curious about  API’s work on Civic Discourse & Democracy more broadly, please contact us.

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