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Solutions journalism: New ways of elevating your reporting and engaging audiences
This self-directed course features content from the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas‘ massive open online course (MOOC) titled “Solutions journalism: New ways of elevating your reporting and engaging audiences.” This four-week course was taught by Hugo Balta and took place from May 8 – June 4, 2023.
Upon completion of this course you will be able to: Understand solutions journalism and how it can enhance your reporting skills by producing rigorous, compelling coverage of the responses to social problems, incorporating the key elements of response, insight, evidence and limitations.
The course materials are broken into four modules, along with an introductory module:
- Introduction to Module: Why solutions journalism?
- Module 1: What solutions journalism is, and what it is not
- Module 2: Identifying, vetting and reporting solutions stories
- Module 3: Organizing and telling solutions stories
- Module 4: Building solutions journalism into your workflow
We encourage you to watch the videos and review the readings. The course materials build off each other, but the videos and readings also act as standalone resources that you can return to over time.
We hope you enjoy the materials. If you have any questions, please contact us at journalismcourses@austin.utexas.edu.
Hugo Balta is the Publisher of the Illinois Latino News (ILNN). ILNN is one of six independent digital news outlets in the Northeast and the Midwest managed by the Latino News Network (LNN). LNN provides greater visibility to Hispanic and Latino communities and amplifies the work of others in doing the same. The network mentors young journalists and affords them real work experiences. LNN applies the principles of solutions journalism to its investigative reporting. Balta is an accredited solutions journalism trainer.
A news veteran of more than 30 years, Balta has led newsrooms in multiple markets and platforms. He has held positions as the Executive Editor of The Chicago Reporter, News Director of Chicago’s PBS Station, WTTW, and Vice President of News of Telemundo New York.
Balta is the only person to serve twice as President of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) in its nearly 40 years. He was inducted into the organization’s Hall Of Fame in 2016.
Mr. Balta is also an Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago, teaching journalism courses focused on all aspects of newsroom collaboration in local news coverage.
Originally from Northern New Jersey, Balta lives in Chicago with his wife Adriana and children Isabella and Esteban.
Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas
300 West Dean Keeton
Room 3.212
Austin, TX, 78712
Phone: 512-471-1391
Email: journalismcourses@austin.utexas.edu
