This Policy Brief is built on the findings of a Clwstwr funded R&D project, News Storytelling through Modular Journalism, and introduces the seven building blocks of reflective journalism.
Data collected from interviews, focus groups and the development of innovative prototypes – which underwent extensive user testing with more than 1000 audience members - suggest multiple new ways of narrative storytelling that point the way to more effective forms of news.
We find that by focusing on content that is genuinely useful to readers and viewers, using linear narratives, providing broader context, and giving users more agency in how they engage with stories, it is clearly possible to provide news which is trusted, informative and engages audiences from all demographics.
The lead author on the report is journalist Shirish Kulkarni, who has been researching and developing News Storytelling through Modular Journalism as the focus of his Clwstwr project since September 2019.
Shirish said: “The journalism industry is facing a number of interlocking existential challenges which need radical responses. Our storytelling research provides clear evidence that changing the journalistic mindset, to focus more clearly on the information needs of citizens, can have dramatic effects.
"By reconnecting with the fundamental purpose of journalism, and using the full range of digital tools available to us, it’s possible to produce news stories that are more informative, more engaging and more efficient. For journalists, newsrooms and – most importantly – citizens, that’s a big win.”
You can download the full report here:
This research report was authored by:
Shirish Kulkarni
Dr Marlen Komorowski, Impact Analyst
Professor Justin Lewis, Director
