At this week's Round Table, Divya, Inica, and Madeline spoke with John Davidow, who has spent his career in news, most recently running digital for WBUR public radio for a dozen years. John’s current focus is on how we can represent a broader multitude of views and voices inside and outside of the newsroom in order to generate better news. He is well aware that news can be disposable--quick hits that are rather under-nourishing--AND it can also be incredibly enriching--an intimate and immediate “lean back” experience in which listeners are kept in great company, particularly through public broadcasting. At the heart of it is, of course, telling good stories AND, in some cases, contributing to the historical record by leaving a footprint others can go back. We loved hearing the questions John feels newsrooms should be accountable for: how well are we meeting the needs of the public, and how well do our newsrooms reflect the values and lived experiences of our audience? Are we providing them with relevant, lively content that feels authentic and compelling? Are we taking action to broaden our audience? Who are the voices making the decisions? What are the biases we’re bringing? Thank you for joining us!
