Local news outlets owe it to their readers to make connections to events outside their area, according to Denise Dunbar, SPJDC chapter president and editor-in-chief of the Alexandria Times.
Dunbar talked about how local (and cash-strapped) news organizations can make local connections to major international events. She talked with Voice of America Deputy Editor for Standards and Practices Carol Guensburg as part of a regular series of webinars sponsored by the SPJ International Community.
Dunbar said the Alexandria Times is fortunate to be near the nation’s capital and to serve a community with diverse interests and ethnic groups. This asset, she said allows the Times to make events from around the world more personal to her paper’s readers. She noted, however, that news outlets without be benefits her paper has can also find ways to connect global events to local concerns.
She noted that many communities in the United States are hosting refugees from Afghanistan. Stories, such as From machine gun belts to bed bug welts can be done. Likewise, the trauma facing many families in the United States from the attacks first by Hamas against Israel and then the subsequent ongoing battle in Gaza offers opportunities for a wider discussion of the impact of those actions. The Alexandria Times produced Testing ‘how much trauma one can hold’ within days of the Hamas attack.
Dunbar said by bringing important global news down to the local level, The Times is fulfilling the purpose of good journalism by keeping the public informed of important events so they can make better decisions about society and governance.