This year, I hope to see more news media pursue innovative, meaningful collaboration with the multitude of stakeholders who today make up the civic information space…the technologists, citizen journalists, researchers, civil society, and yes, content creators who value accuracy, fairness, and transparency. We need to seek out these journalist-adjacent actors who share the same goal as many newsrooms of delivering actionable, trustworthy news and information to people — information that the public can use to make sense of the world and improve their lives and their societies. They just bring different tools and expertise to do it.
Derek Willis is a lecturer in data and computational journalism at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Previously, he was a data journalist with a variety of outlets. Through ICFJ programs, he has taught journalists around the world and helped them gain practical skills to further their careers.
India and Pakistan have a history of more than 75 years of conflict over Kashmir, a region split between the two nations. This clash often places Kashmiris, who lack autonomy, in the crossfire. Last year, Indian journalist Puja Bhattacharjee and Pakistani journalist Umar Bacha united in a rare cross-country collaboration to detail the challenges faced by families and marriages divided by borders. The emotional investigation remains relevant amid increasing calls for Kasmiri autonomy.
