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As I was checking the headlines on my ipad’s news app, the choices on the top tool bar were U.S…. World… Politics... Business… Opinion… Health… GoodNews…… Snickering lightly to myself, “Yeah, they now have a category for that to help us feel better after reading all the others.” When I went to college I eyed a journalism major, thinking my love of writing might be used to keep others informed. I was told journalism is “a utility to empower the individual” through the coverage of background material, a presentation of the facts and a neutral explanation of the issues involved. It was also the time of the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon, the Kent state shootings, the oil embargo, to name a few, and that curriculum felt very heavy and serious on my 18 year old shoulders. I did not see myself at that time of my life as “a watchdog of society” and so chose a different course to pursue in life. News that is open to someone’s interpretation coupled with our love of freedom of expression necessitates one to sift between fact and fancy. Furthermore, disturbing news causes pessimism, stress, anxiety and depression. Research has proven that more positive news is needed to outweigh the violence and destruction that we’re exposed to every day. Happily there is a news movement called constructive journalism. It involves presenting stories that are more solution oriented. Different from “feel good stories”, like a fireman rescuing a cat, this form of writing looks to increase understanding, not drama. Not only better for our health, it increases our attention span by keeping us from turning off and turning away. Even though journalism will always have to report on negative issues, presenting situations in a more sensitive, positive way will inspire people to take action and help. Human interest stories increase trust and hope. Together we can look for unsung heroes that inspire us and ideas that work or might work.
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