The Solutions Journalism Network (SJN) is leading a systems-level change in journalism so that all people – no matter how or where they get their news – have access to rigorous reporting not only about problems, but about promising and evidence-based responses to them as well. This is especially critical for climate change reporting, where apocalyptic, unsolvable, doom and gloom stories far outweigh those that examine meaningful efforts to advance environmental repair, resilience and adaptation. People will only be able to mitigate, adapt and be resilient to the changing climate if they know how to respond to our changing world. The news plays a pivotal role in making this information widely available. More specifically, people need credible information from news sources they trust that increases their sense of possibility, and hope, in this uncertain world.
A constant barrage of negative stories can unintentionally foster a narrative of inevitability around the climate crisis. Solutions journalism can shift this narrative, emphasizing agency and innovation. Changing the narrative from one of despair to one of informed possibility is needed to stimulate more public engagement and policy action. Research consistently shows that when news reveals what’s working or promising, it elevates the tone of public discourse, making it less divisive and more constructive, allowing communities to see options to work together more successfully.
Solutions stories include rigorous and compelling reporting about responses to social problems, which includes these key elements:
- A response to a social problem — and on how that response has worked, or why it hasn’t
- Insights that show what can be learned from a response and why it matters to a newsroom’s audience
- Evidence in the form of data or qualitative results that indicate effectiveness (or lack thereof)
- Limitations that place responses in context
Since our founding in 2013, over 47,000 journalists have engaged with SJN and used our tools. One hundred journalism schools have taught the next generation of journalists how to tell more complete stories using the solutions journalism framework. Our organizational training partners in Europe, Africa, and Latin America have accelerated the spread of solutions journalism worldwide.
Role Description
SJN has supported journalists addressing environmental issues since 2014. Four years ago, we made a focused commitment to deepen and expand our investments in climate reporting, launching the first of many climate-focused initiatives.
These include a reporting initiative that helped newsrooms hold businesses accountable for the claims they make regarding their sustainability efforts; a cohort of newsrooms systemically changing their climate coverage to serve as models for others; a series of expert-led trainings to prepare journalists to understand and cover the complex issue of how to sequester carbon or reduce carbon outputs; and a growing “Climate Peer Network” comprised of (in the first three months) 100 journalists committed to sharing their experiences about how to produce climate reporting that inspires agency, hope and action. Along the way, we have forged partnerships with allies in the field, like Covering Climate Now, Climate Central, and Project Drawdown.
Looking ahead, we aim to advance an even more ambitious range of mutually reinforcing climate-related global initiatives – building upon our successes to scale our impact anchored in the credibility and rigor that align solutions journalism with the highest journalistic standards.
Responsibilities
Qualifications
Salary & Benefits
$95,000 - $125,000 a year
Benefits: 100% premiums covered by SJN for employee medical insurance, access to dental and vision insurance, 20 days paid vacation, 3 floating personal days, 6 sick days, 8 paid holidays, the last week of December off, a remote work stipend, flexible work schedule.
Location
Hybrid/Remote within the U.S. Preference will be given to candidates in the New York City area who are able to work from SJN’s midtown office two days a week.
Timeline
Application closes: November 8th, 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT
Interviews: November 15th through 21st
Start Date: Mid-December
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