(Jillian, this was emailed to you on 1/22 but I didn’t have access to the WordPress)

  1. Solutions journalism not only identifies a social problem but provides an in-depth response to address the issue in a way that incites action and long-term change.
  2. Solutions journalism acknowledges the limitations of the proposed solution, and why a solution may not be currently feasible.
  3. Solutions journalism is not a form of hero worship which is essentially glorifying a person’s journey instead of providing a full view of the breadth of the situation.
  4. Solutions journalism shouldn’t overly play on the heartwarmer/heartstrings form of storytelling. This may take the form of a success story that doesn’t address the larger institutionalized/structural issues.
  5. Journalism that offers instant solutions, like “click here to donate $5 to the cause,” isn’t credible solutions journalism, because it does not propose a long-term structural solution.
  6. Personal accounts are fundamental parts of solutions journalism, as case-studies allow one to empathize with characters and envision how change can affect individuals.
  7. A positive deviant story addresses a global/national issue and shows an example of something that is working outside of the norm. This inspirational outlier can allow insight into what is allowing this solution to work effectively.
  8. Solutions journalism is responsible for providing a full description of a social issue and the proposed solution, which includes substantiated evidence, and the inclusion of an opposing point of view.
  9. In interviewing subjects for a solution piece, it is important to not only ask what exactly is taking place, but why it is taking place, and who is responsible for the social issue.
  10. Solutions reporting involves a process that includes more steps for revisions, as it generally requires more information gathering in order to provide a full scope of an issue and the proposed solution.