Picturing civic journalism

Abstract

This study used in-depth interviews with 18 photographers and designers to explore how civic journalism has changed their work and some of the practical problems it raises. The main issue for designers was ‘too many pieces’ - stories, sidebars, info-graphics, and photographs. One solution they devised was a graphic device they called a ‘grid’ to package information in a systematic way. Photographers struggled with conceptual stories that were hard to illustrate. They suggested a return to ‘enterprise’ photos, but acknowledged they take too much time. Theoretical insights include the core problem of dichotomous reasoning in three general areas: First, the world of these civic journalism workers is divided into the visual and the verbal, with the verbal predominating. Second, the movement has neglected to address changes at the organizational level, focusing instead on individuals, i.e. citizens. Third, visual journalists think about their work as dialectic when they discuss the normative issues as being separate from the philosophical issues. Some solutions and implications for the profession are discussed.