Impact alone is not enough

As important as it is to get impact measurement right, it is still only part of a greater whole. Knowing what impact looks like is fundamental to defending the role and value of journalism, but it is just as crucial to explore and learn how to get there.  

Euphemisms can be limiting: impact is measurable, but often reductive; change is messier – but also more honest. In this sense, change is impact in motion: a living, dynamic process rather than a static result.  

In a rapidly evolving information landscape, viewing journalism through a change-centric lens allows for more productive, grounded discussions about how to evolve our practice for relevance in the 21st century. 

Change-Centric Journalism may require that newsrooms adopt new skills, new workflows and new roles. It needs leadership buy-in and resources – time, money, methods. Most importantly, these efforts will only be successful if they sit atop a strong foundation of principles and practices, which I aim to describe in this work.