To make news more inclusive we need to diversify the people making news stories. The TOW (transmedia online workshop) is an net-based environment for learning the art and craft of multimedia storytelling. Our test TOWs had learners from a cross-section of cultures, countries (20 timezones), ages, abilities, and languages (20% were ESL).
International organizations helped identify participants, including Global Voices (Netherlands), Transom.org (USA), and the Community Media Training Organisation (Australia). We taught professionals (a Voice of Nigeria news anchor, a Cairo university journalism professor, a National Geographic story editor) and beginners. Most had never made an audio or video program.
Our goal was to quickly stimulate learners to produce quality work. Their work impressed us and others. Several of their pieces aired nationally in the United States (NPR Living on Earth, Here Be Monsters podcast) and Australia (All the Best).
The workshop was adaptive. Every assignment asked for learner feedback. Every workshop asked learners to leave tips for the next class. The TOW continually evolved into a remarkably effective tool for teaching complex tasks. We hope to continue these multimedia storytelling workshops, and add new topics including fact checking and sound design. https://hearingvoices.com/tow/
News Integrity Initiative https://www.journalism.cuny.edu/centers/news-integrity-initiative/centersnews-integrity-initiativenews-integrity-initiative-inquiry/