The Center for Media Engagement partnered with Trusting News and 27 local newsrooms to find out how news organizations can help bridge the divide between the media and American conservative and right-leaning audiences. Interviews with people who consider themselves conservative showed that they often felt portrayed stereotypically in the news and that they believed newsrooms need to address perceptions of bias against conservatives and those with right-leaning viewpoints.
The discussions revealed six approaches journalists can take to better connect with their conservative and right-leaning audiences:
- Build relationships with people who have conservative and right-leaning viewpoints in your community and listen to them.
- Include a variety of voices from people with conservative and right-leaning views in stories. Journalists should be cautious of using “conservative” or other terms as catch-all labels for people who may have very different beliefs.
- Consider diversity of political beliefs and backgrounds when hiring for the newsroom.
- Focus on story facts, not interpretation.
- Correct mistakes promptly to demonstrate trustworthiness.
- Don’t criticize only one side of an issue.