I’ve written recently about my belief that journalism should go beyond informing people and should also engage them. Journalists should be activists in the purest sense of the word: We should help all people become active participants in our society.
We’re not here to push people to advocate for a specific position on any policy. But we should help people from across the political and ideological spectrums be involved in the debate.
Even informed people sometimes don’t know how to get involved. Their time is precious and they may feel like their participation isn’t valued.
Journalism in the 21st Century should give people an entry point into the conversation, challenge them to be involved, and value their participation.
NMPolitics.net will do that through discussions on social media and our website. You may have seen examples of that recently on my Facebook page.
We’re also making plans for face-to-face engagement. One example is our grant application to partner with unlikely voters to help them shape the 2015 municipal election in Las Cruces.
I’m still developing ideas and experimenting with how NMPolitics.net will engage. I want your feedback!
And if you are as excited as I am about journalism that helps people participate in our society, I need your help. Make a donation today to help fund NMPolitics.net! You can donate here.
Thanks! I’m really excited about what’s ahead!