Impact Stories

A growing number of universities in Nigeria are offering solutions journalism modules and courses to their students. This expansion came from the impetus of two educators, Rasheed Adebiyi and Jamiu Folarin, who decided to incorporate this editorial approach in their teaching as part of a Solutions Journalism Africa Initiative fellowship (coordinated by Science Africa in Kenya and Nigeria Health Watch, with the support of SJN). While the National Universities Commission, a government body that reviews and approves curriculum, did not include solutions journalism as a compulsory subject in journalism schools in its recent review, it now “allows universities to include it as a standalone course or module within existing journalism programs,” said Folarin, lecturer and researcher at Crescent University, Abeokuta. Eight higher education institutions provide courses or modules that include solutions journalism (Crescent University, Fountain University, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Osun State University, Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Summit University, Iresi Polytechnic, Federal Polytechnic Ilaro). In addition, Folarin and Adebiyi are fostering an educator network, SoJo Hubs in six locations across the country, the promotion of SoJo student clubs, a Student Media Challenge modeled after the one convened by SJN, and solutions journalism sessions at two academic conferences.

The Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative has dedicated itself to covering both the problems of and solutions to the digital divide in Southern New Mexico. Reporter Reyes Mata III, who is bilingual, covered the grassroots organization Mamacítas Cibernéticas as it led a community research project to understand the digital gaps and needs of the local population in Sunland Park. Amid a history of distrust toward the media, the reporting by Mata, a Spanish-speaking journalist who spent time earning the trust of local people to give a more respectful representation of their experiences and voices, improved their perception of the role the media can play in serving their community. One of the organizers said, “Your coverage also helps with holding relevant stakeholders accountable for their actions or lack of actions,” adding, “I hope we can continue to work together to achieve digital equity in southern Doña Ana County.”

In the aftermath of a political scandal roiling the Los Angeles City Council, the Los Angeles Times published a series of solutions-oriented editorials about reforming local government. The series, titled “Fixing City Hall,” won the News Leaders Association’s Burl Osborne Editorial and Opinion Award. The judges stated that the work “went beyond the local issue to explore what has become a national issue and also offered logical solutions to the mess unfolding within the Los Angeles City Council.”

Knight Center (2023): In May and June 2023, 2,484 students from 137 countries attended an online course titled “Solutions journalism: New ways of elevating your reporting and engaging audiences,” organized by the Knight Center for Journalism, based at the University of Texas. The program was taught by four SJN-accredited solutions journalism trainers from the U.S., Singapore, Nigeria and India.

The Great Salt Lake Collaborative, launched with support from SJN, won the Public Service Award from the Utah Society of Professional Journalists. The announcement read: “The collaborative of 13 news outlets, along with education and community partners, helped put the Great Salt Lake back on the map at a time when it looked like it would literally dry up and disappear. Through the unique partnership model, newsrooms produced and shared over 240 stories about the lake, with a focus on evidence-based solutions. The conversations started have had tremendous impact, with polls from last fall now showing 80% of Utahns concerned about the lake. Politicians have also stepped up, with the legislature allocating $1 billion in the past two sessions to help preserve and strengthen the lake.”

The Narwhal, a Canadian online publication dedicated to coverage of environmental issues, was awarded the Climate Solutions Reporting prize for a series of stories on Indigenous-led conservation in British Columbia. Reporter Steph Kwetásel’wet Wood said: "Solutions journalism isn’t about pie-in-the-sky dreaming. Indigenous conservation has always been. It’s a tried and true solution. We will forever be hearing new stories about how it benefits community, health, culture, food security and the natural world. Western science supports it. Thousands of years of history prove it. These stories show the power in all these communities to be constantly pushing for better.”