Things on Source Recently

Like all of OpenNews, Source is powered by a community of contributors, and we’re really proud to be a place for sharing how you work and what you believe in. Some recent things:

• Celebrating the Collaborative Spirit Behind an Award-Winning Story: We loved hearing about the unseen teamwork that led to Reveal’s recent Edward R. Murrow award.
• How We Flipped Media Literacy and Built Community Literacy Instead—This is such an inspiring model, pioneered by two organizations joining together. Cirien Saadeh tells us how it happened, and also shares her framework for Journalism of Color.
• Here’s What I’ve Learned About Transparency & Media Salaries— A lack of transparency is one reason that salary gaps are so hard to close. Amanda Hickman has rounded up an excellent list of data sources on what media jobs pay, with a special focus on radio and podcasting.
• Know Your Own Blind Spots, When Covering Communities—This essay from Dana Amihere is both big-picture and practical, and it’s full of ways that your newsroom can do a better job of covering the people it serves.

And on the OpenNews blog, check out this SRCCON:LEAD recap by Ryan Pitts. It’s a snapshot of what made that event so powerful, based on comments from participants in the room with us.

With all of the above in mind, consider joining our brand-new founding sustainer program. It’s a new pathway to support the journalism-code community and OpenNews. Learn more and consider joining.

Community Thank-You Roundup

Last month we asked you, news nerds, to send us shoutouts of gratitude that would highlight your peers, colleagues, mentors—especially those who’ve helped you learn and grow. We’re so pleased to share these.

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Angilee Shah thanks Ada Tseng: “Ada is endlessly generous and creative as a writer and editor and has been tireless in raising up diverse voices in entertainment and entertainment journalism. She’s been really generous is helping me work through text and ideas related to my new journalism venture and is always game for crazy ideas. It’s a gift of lightness and optimism combined with real purpose. Follow her @adatseng!”

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Emma Carew Grovum thanks Katie Hawkins-Gaar: “Katie has paved a path for success for me this year. I didn’t know I would need this kind of guidance and support from a friend and professional colleague, but I’m ever-so-grateful that our paths first crossed at SRCCON WORK. From hiring me to coaching me to just being there for me on tough days, Katie has elevated the bar for the meaning of support. Katie has helped me find my strengths, battle my weaknesses, and done so while helping many many others. More than that, she has inspired me to become a better friend and more generous colleague to the others in my network. Everyone deserves a Katie in their life.”

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Lucia Walinchus (Ohio Center for Investigative Journalism) thanks the following folks for all these reasons….

• Michelle Charles: “Journalism Advice. Workplace Advice. Life Advice. Michelle is buckets of awesome.”
• David Montgomery: “Helped me out several times on tricky R questions when I was stuck. And answered back quickly!”
• Jeremy Singer-Vine: “Helped me out with a tricky R project that I was working on through OpenNews’ data project. Which was super helpful!”
• Julie Carr-Smyth: “Helping me out with getting oriented in Ohio and at the Statehouse.”
• Evan Smith: “The whole Texas Tribune staff was very welcoming and accommodating to us, and helped us learn a lot about how to structure a state outlet!”

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Rachel Alexander (Salem Reporter) thanks Sara Simon: “Sara has been a sounding board at times when I’ve worried about everything from why my code isn’t working to my career trajectory and long-term plans. Her mix of technical knowledge and deep care for others is an inspiration, and talking to her often makes me feel like this industry might actually be okay. She’s generous in sharing her knowledge and not afraid to ask for help when she needs it. (And her cat is amazing.)”

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And of course, from us at OpenNews: thank you amazing OpenNews community, for sharing these, for sharing your work on Source, for being so generous with your time and talents, and for making our 2019 better.

Things You’ve Been Making

We’re always on the lookout for new work and things we can learn from each other, especially from local or small teams. This week, we’ve collected projects that highlight what’s otherwise hidden in plain sight.

Security giant G4S has lost hundreds of guns. Here’s where we found them

(USA Today/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec 16, 2019) An investigation into the lost arsenal of a company whose mission is “securing your world.”

How to Survive on the Streets

(Houston Chronicle, Dec 10, 2019) A moving visual essay at the intersection of Beechnut and the Sam Houston Tollway.

Call 311 for a dirty alley in Baltimore? City’s response depends on where you live

(Baltimore Sun, Dec 11, 2019) “I call and call and call." An analysis of non-emergency 311 requests and whether they’re filled on time.

Philadelphia pharmacies loved OxyContin — until suddenly they didn’t

(Philadelphia Inquirer, Dec 12, 219) Data shows how pharmacy orders changed dramatically when OxyContin was reformulated.

Even More Things We Saw Recently

Collaborations that left a mark in 2019, from Heather Bryant. How media-making makes space for social change, by Molly de Aguiar. The hierarchy of needs, and where your journalism falls within it, from City Bureau. A ProPublica/Boston Globe database of child abuse records by Jessica Huseman, Emily Palmer, and Heather Schroering. An asylum journey from Syria to Chicago in Borderless magazine.

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Have a great wrap-up to your 2019!

P.S.—This Roundup Also Comes in Email Flavor

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