Form a community media board of directors. The local community oversees management and direction of The Next Newsroom. The Next Newsroom editors will work more like school district administrator, reporting to a community board even as they organize the news gathering. The news report routinely is critiqued by the community, through a simple feedback loop that is monitored online and published daily. Some journalists can be voted off the island, some can be added to the staff if there are missing elements in coverage that the community needs.
These Community Stock Option Board (CSOP Board) members will come from local social network groups in The Next Newsroom’s home community.
The CSOP board advises the newsroom on content, serves as a sounding board for community concerns, and stays in regular, ongoing contact with both the editor and ad director. The Next Newsroom is managed by its editorial director and advertising director, who serve under contract of the CSOP board.
The board strives to reflect the diversity of the community – economically, racially, politically, or using other factors deemed important to the community. A key challenge: help the CSOP board grow the capacity constructively discuss and resolve differences of opinion. Research by groups such as the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation – www.ncdd.org or The Change Handbook could be used as tools to equip the board to hold difficult conversations and generate wise answers when highly charged issues arise.
In partnership with local universities and/or leadership development programs, The Next Newsroom will ensure that its volunteers and staff have the latest skills for governance, communication, decision-making and transparency.
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