A proposition for a profound reset

The existential risks that journalism faces in the digital era demand answers that go beyond the familiar refrain that “what we do is inherently valuable”. This project argues that such a belief may be prolonging the crisis of trust and sustainability that newsrooms continue to grapple with.  

It is a mindset that puts us under the stress of producing more and more “content”, limiting our ability to recognise the opportunities that arise when we align our purpose with people’s needs. As a way forward, I’ve proposed that we reclaim journalism’s sense of mission and embrace our role in driving social change.  

To illustrate what a Change-Centric Journalism model looks like, I’ve developed a framework that brings together principles and practices that distinguish it from a content-driven model. And I have shown that this is not only theoretical thinking; the work is already being done.  

Despite their diversity, newsrooms in Portugal, Brazil, the UK, and my own in Paraguay share a deep commitment to seeing individuals, communities, and societies thrive. For these organisations, publication is not the end goal – it’s the starting point. 

They are intentional about the positive impact they want to make with journalism, whether it’s improving life in the city, challenging class, and racial prejudice, bringing wrongdoers to justice, or revitalizing civic action.  

Many have strong systems in place – workflows, roles, skills – that increase the potential impact of their coverage. They also measure this impact through indicators that go far beyond conventional metrics like clicks or reach. 

But what makes them truly distinct is a culture of impact: a mindset that permeates these newsrooms and puts all efforts behind the goal of facilitating change. What that change is will be different for each story and will unquestioningly depend on each context and audience. But underpinning those efforts is a shared desire to serve, and to be a force for good.  

In this project I have described other key features that distinguish this approach: purposeful engagement, not audience growth, is what defines the relationship with people; care, just as much as rigour, fairness, and balance, is what restores trust with them.  

These newsrooms tap into the power of communication not only to deliver information, but to build a shared layer of understanding. And there is a growing conviction among media practitioners that outlets have a major opportunity to breathe new life into the civic space. Some are already doing so.  

These outlets convene, host, and cultivate safe spaces for connections and belonging. Physical, not just digital ones. 

From mingas informativas, storytelling events, listening clubs, coffee shops to “houses of journalism”, newsrooms are trying to give people a chance to make sense of the world with others, network, and find joy in community.  

I believe these values and practices are not only better suited to the challenges of our time – from AI and disinformation to populist attacks on journalism – but also offer a more sustainable and purposeful model for the future.