One of the ways our Equity and Justice Unit engages with communities is through listening sessions. We come to you, listen, and then report.
When we host a listening session, we show up with no agenda, only GBH’s guiding question: What matters to you? We want to hear what you want to know, what you think other people should hear, what you are most proud of and what worries you most.
Join GBH News at an upcoming listening session. We want to hear what matters to you, what keeps you up at night, and what makes you proud.
March 30 • 3 to 6 p.m., Canvas by Coff33 Corp, 326 Main St., Fitchburg
April 1 • 1 to 4 p.m., MOTW Cafe, 279 Willard St. Quincy
In traditional journalism, there are often PR organizations, special interest groups and politicians who send us pitches in the exact format we need. We’re looking to give everyone the tools, so the door is open for everyone to pitch us. Listening sessions are part of an effort to hear from people who might not know who we are or know how to find us.
News organizations also have been know to “parachuting in” to certain communities, only there to cover something quickly and leave, causing harm to the people who live there day in and day out. We are working to change that.
Listening sessions are meant to be flexible. Our time there consists of getting to know people, hearing stories and learning about the history of the neighborhood. As long as it does one of those things — we’re down!
We also welcome questions about how the news works and encourage questions into our work.
We understand that while communities have many concerns and troubles, they are also full of joy. We want to share those positive stories.
Not only do these sessions help our reporting, but they work to improve the larger media ecosystem. We aim to eliminate the barrier that exists between communities and journalists and answer questions at a time when distrust in the media is common.
Your story is important, because there may be someone out there finding themselves represented through you. We aim to diversify that representation so you can find relatability.
The way we host listening sessions has evolved over time, depending on community needs. Sessions can range from reporters showing up at a cafe with questionnaires and a notebook, to attending community organizations that already do important work.
We use social media and word of mouth as tools to announce meetings and collaborate with hosting organizations to reach the maximum number of people.
This year, we are focusing on the state’s 26 Gateway Cities, largely diverse, midsize Massachusetts cities like Revere, Springfield and Worcester. You can learn about our project here.
We appreciate the communities that have welcomed us in the past, including cafes, libraries and nonprofit organizations, helping to promote meaningful connections. We are excited about learning more. We’d love to hear from you.
Our lines of communication are always open through our Instagram pages and social media comments.
