>> WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME WHEN THE IDEA OF JOURNALISM, WHO GETS TO DO IT AND WHO GETS HURT, IS BEING RESHAPED IN REAL TIME.

THE LINE BETWEEN JOURNALISTS, INFLUENCERS AND PODCAST HOSTS ARE BLURRING.

I’M A JOURNALIST.

TRUST IN NEWS IS DECLINING AND THE BACKBONE OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING IS UNDER THREAT.

THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING WHICH HELPED ELEVATE DIVERSE VOICES HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN.

IT IS NOT JUST A LOSS OF FUNDING, IT IS A LOSS OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS.

THE U.S.

GOVERNMENT FORCED TIKTOK INTO AMERICAN OWNERSHIP, RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO CONTROLS THE FLOW OF INFORMATION.

AND THE PENTAGON IS QUIETLY LIMITING WHAT JOURNALISTS CAN REPORT, EVEN IF IT IS UNCLASSIFIED.

MAJOR NETWORKS ARE PUSHING BACK BUT THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR, TRANSPARENCY IS BEING CHALLENGED.

AT THE SAME TIME POLITICIANS ARE TURNING TO INFLUENCERS OVER JOURNALISTS.

IN 2024 STREAMER AIDEN ROSS LANDED AN INTERVIEW WITH DONALD TRUMP, WHICH LEGACY OUTLETS COULDN’T GET.

INFLUENCERS MAY FEEL MORE RELATABLE BUT THEY OFTEN LACK EDITORIAL OVERSIGHT, FACT CHECKING AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

JOURNALISTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE CONTENT CREATORS, BRAND MANAGERS AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGISTS WHILE NAVIGATING ALGORITHMS, MONETIZATION AND THE THREAT OF AI.

HOW DO WE PROTECT JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY WHEN THE RULES KEEP CHANGING AND THE DOORS KEEP CLOSING?

IN THIS MEDIA LANDSCAPE WE RISK LOSING VOICES THAT MATTER MOST.

WE KNOW THE PROBLEM.

LET’S GET TO THE ROOT OF IT.

I’M PARIS ALSTON AND THIS IS "ROOTED."

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE TALKING ALL ABOUT THE FUTURE OF JOURNALISM AND HOW DIVERSE VOICES ARE ADAPTING, EVOLVING AND LEADING IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE.

I SAT DOWN WITH OUR EQUITY AND JUSTICE UNIT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO STORYTELLING THAT CENTERS ON REPRESENTED VOICES.

>> EQUITY AND JUSTICE TEAM, THANK BEING TO DO THIS.

>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, PARIS.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> THANK YOU.

PARIS: MEGAN, I WANT EACH OF YOU TO ANSWER, WHAT FIRST DREW YOU TO THIS TYPE OF STORYTELLING AND WHY?

>> I HAVE BEEN COVERING DISABILITY FOR THE NEWSROOM FOR A FEW YEARS BEFORE I JOINED THE NJ TEAM.

I LEARNED ABOUT COMMUNITIES THAT DON’T OFTEN FEEL COVERED OR HEARD BY THE MEDIA, THEY FEEL MISREPRESENTED SOMETIMES AND THERE IS A WORLD OF STUFF GOING ON THAT DOESN’T GET COVERED A LOT.

I FELT LIKE AS I BUILT TRUST WITH THAT COMMUNITY AND LEARNED FROM THEM AND DID MORE STORIES, I REALIZED THIS IS THE TYPE OF STORYTELLING JOURNALISM NEEDS.

I THINK IT IS NECESSARY, IT IS NOT OPTIONAL.

I SEE IT AS OUR MISSION TO DO THIS TYPE OF STORYTELLING.

>> I TOOK A BREAK FROM JOURNALISM AND I REALIZED THE THROUGH LINE THROUGH MY POSITIONS IS ALWAYS BEEN STORYTELLING AND THE LOVE OF STORYTELLING.

THAT IS HOW I GOT BACK INTO THIS.

>> I THINK COMING FROM A BUSINESS REPORTING BACKGROUND IT WAS ALWAYS INTERESTING TO ME TO FOCUS ON NOT JUST DOLLARS AND CENTS, BUT HOW THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE.

WHETHER THAT WAS LOOKING AT THE IDEA OF BUILDING BLACK WALL STREET IN BOSTON, TOPICS LIKE THAT, THAT OPENED THE DOORS TO THE IDEA OF EQUITY AND JUSTICE REPORTING.

TO DO THAT DAILY, SPEND TIME IN COMMUNITIES AND SEE HOW THE POWERS THAT BE AND THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE AT THE TOP LEVELS FILTERED DOWN AND AFFECT COMMUNITIES, IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

PARIS: HOW DO YOU DEFINE EQUITY AND JUSTICE IN A JOURNALISTIC SENSE?

>> I THINK IT INVOLVES CENTERING COMMUNITY VOICES, BEING ACCOUNTABLE.

THERE ARE LOTS OF TIMES WHERE PEOPLE FIND THEIR STORIES ARE TOLD FROM A NEGATIVE LENS AND YOU HELICOPTER IN AND OUT.

BUT WHEN YOU CENTER COMMUNITY AND FOCUS ON HIGHLIGHTING WHAT THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE, THAT SPEAKS TO EQUITY AND JUSTICE AS IT RELATES TO JOURNALISTIC STANDARDS AND PRACTICES.

PARIS: WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES TO BRINGING EQUITY AND JUSTICE INTO YOUR REPORTING?

>> ONE OF THE HARD THINGS ABOUT JOURNALISTS RIGHT NOW IS THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE WORLD.

JOURNALISM IS A DIFFICULT FIELD ALREADY, AND SOMETIMES THERE IS SO MUCH WE COULD BE COVERING THAT WE HAVE TO SHOW WHY THE STORIES ARE IMPORTANT.

BUT LIKE I SAID, I THINK THEY ARE NECESSARY AND I THINK OVER TIME WE WILL SEE THESE ARE THE STORIES THAT RESONATE THE MOST WITH PEOPLE.

PARIS: I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING THESE COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS.

WHAT ARE THOSE, AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

>> COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS I WOULD SAY ARE A WAY TO BUILD TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE ARE SERVING, AND INVESTING WITH TIME INTO THE WORK.

THOSE COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS SERVE A FEW PURPOSES.

THEY SERVE AS SOURCE GATHERING AND BUILDING FOR US.

IT ALLOWS ME TO MEET A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE AND ALL OF US, WE GO ON LISTENING SESSIONS AND WE MEET PEOPLE WHO CAN BECOME SOURCES FOR US, THAT BECOME PEOPLE WE REGULARLY CHECK IN WITH.

IT IS A CHANCE FOR US TO BROADEN OUR COVERAGE, AND I THINK IT IS A WAY TO ALSO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF TRANSPARENCY TO WHAT IT IS WE DO AS JOURNALISTS AND WHAT OUR WORK.

DAY TODAY IS LIKE.

PARIS: DO YOU ENCOUNTER PEOPLE ARE DISGRUNTLED WITH THE NEWS AND MAY BE PUSHBACK ON THE WORK YOU ARE TRYING TO DO?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK PART OF THIS TEAM, WHAT I LOVE IS THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL OF EMPATHY IN THIS GROUP.

I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE NEED TO BE HEARD, AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT.

WE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN REPRESENTED, HAVE NOT FELT SEEN, HAVE BEEN IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN PARACHUTED INTO, TO COVER THINGS.

WHEN PEOPLE COME WITH THAT, IT IS GOOD TO HAVE A TEAM THAT YOU KNOW IS GOING TO MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE AT AND SAY WE UNDERSTAND THIS MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED TO YOU AND I’M HERE TO LISTEN.

PARIS: I LOVE TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE THE MOST GROUNDED AREA IN THE NEWSROOM EVERY TIME I WALK BY.

IT JUST FEELS LIKE EVERYTHING IS OK.

MAGDIELA IS TALKING ABOUT TELLING STORIES WITH COMPASSION AND AUTHENTICITY.

WHAT DOES IT MEANS TO REPRESENT A COMMUNITY AUTHENTICALLY?

>> IT SPEAKS TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT.

IT IS ONE THING TO COME IN AND WRITE A STORY FROM WHATEVER POINT OF VIEW WHICH SHOULD BE TOLD FROM AS OPPOSED TO GOING OUT AND SPEAKING WITH PEOPLE AND DISCOVERING ANOTHER ANGLE OR LENS FROM WHAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING AND WHAT THEY SEE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.

SO TO ACCURATELY TELL A STORY FROM A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE INVOLVES THE COMMUNITY.

IT STARTS AND STOPS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND SPEAKING WITH THEM AND LEARNING THEIR CONCERNS AND WHAT THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

PARIS: CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT A TIME YOU RECENTLY DID THAT?

>> ONE EXAMPLE IS I WROTE A STORY ABOUT IBO DAY, A CELEBRATION OF ONE OF THE LARGEST ETHNIC GROUPS IN NIGERIA, THAT MAKE UP MOST NIGERIANS IN THE REGION.

WE WROTE A STORY HIGHLIGHTED THERE HERITAGE AND HISTORY AND A FOLLOW-UP, A SOCIAL VIDEO WHERE WE MADE TRADITIONAL IBO AND -- CUISINE AND LEARNED MORE ABOUT, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE IGBO TODAY?

PARIS: WE ARE EXISTING IN A TIME WHEN THE JOURNALISM LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING AND THE DEDICATION TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, IS ALSO SHIFTING.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO CONTINUE DOING THIS WORK?

>> I THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT THIS BECAUSE DISABILITY IS OFTEN, NOT ALWAYS COME A PART OF D.E.I.

AND PEOPLE DON’T ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THAT.

SO MUCH HAS BEEN GOING ON THIS YEAR AND THE DISABILITY SPACE AND FAMILIES AND PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THESE ROLLBACKS AND CUTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE; EVERYDAY LIVES.

I WOULD LIKE TO CENTER PEOPLE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AS OPPOSED TO POLICIES AND GETTING WONKY ABOUT DATA AND NUMBERS.

NOT THAT THAT ISN’T IMPORTANT.

I DID A STORY A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT THE PRESIDENT’S ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT A CONNECTION BETWEEN AUTISM AND TYLENOL AND IT SPARKED A LOT OF CONVERSATION AMONG FAMILIES AND PEOPLE WITH AUTISM.

FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS I HAVE REPORTED IN THIS COMMUNITY, I HAVE DONE LISTENING SESSIONS WITH FAMILIES SO I THOUGHT OF INSTEAD OF TALKING TO POLITICIANS, I WANTED TO TALK TO PEOPLE THEMSELVES.

I INTERVIEWED MOTHERS WHO HAVE CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND PEOPLE WITH AUTISM ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT ALL OF THIS.

THE EQUITY, THE WORD EQUITY IS HIGHLY CHARGED RIGHT NOW.

THAT IS SOMETHING I WANT TO KEEP IN MIND, IS TO ALWAYS CENTER PEOPLE’S EXPERIENCES.

PARIS: DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU ARE TRYING TO CONVINCE, WHETHER IT IS OTHER COLLEAGUES OR JOURNALISTS IN OUR NEWSROOM AND BEYOND, OR EVEN PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO CONVINCE THEM THIS WORK IS WORTHWHILE?

>> WITH OUR TEAM, WE DO HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THINGS THAT ARE WORTHWHILE.

SO THANKFULLY, I DON’T FEEL THAT WITHIN OUR TEAM OF HAVING TO CONVINCE THEM THAT THE STORY IS A STORY.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE COLLABORATION.

WITH THE INTERSECTION OF ARTS AND CULTURE AND EQUITY AND JUSTICE, BECAUSE I THINK CULTURE INFORMS EQUITY AND JUSTICE.

PARIS: IT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE I REMEMBER IN THE EARLY DAYS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RACE AND EQUITY REPORTING, THERE WAS ALWAYS EMPHASIZED THAT THIS AFFECTS EVERY SINGLE BEAT.

THE RACE BEAT IS SORT OF A MYTH SOMETIMES, OR THE EQUITY BEAT BECAUSE THERE ARE INJUSTICES IN EVERY SECTOR OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH SPEAKS TO WHAT MEGAN WAS MENTIONING AS WELL.

COVERING EQUITY AND INJUSTICE ISN’T ALWAYS FUN AND PRETTY.

THERE COULD BE A LOT OF HARD STORIES THAT, ROSS YOUR DESK, THAT YOU HAVE TO SPEND TIME WITH.

HOW DO YOU CARE FOR YOURSELF IN THOSE MOMENTS?

>> WORKING ON THIS BEAT REQUIRES CHALLENGING STORIES, DIGGING INTO SOME REALLY DIFFICULT THINGS.

BUT I FEEL LIKE AMONG OUR TEAM, WE HAVE A VERY EMPATHETIC TEAM AND IT IS EASY TO FIND THAT SUPPORT WITH WHATEVER CHALLENGING STORY YOU MAY BE COVERING.

WITH THE WAY WE COLLABORATE AND WORK ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER, IT IS VERY EASY TO FIND AND SUPPORT IN OUR LITTLE UNIT.

PARIS: YOU HAVE DIFFERENT STRENGTHS ON OUR TEAM.

TRAJAN COVERS FROM A BUSINESS ANGLE, YOU HAVE THIS ROBUST DATA ANALYTICS PERSPECTIVE.

MAGDIELA IS ROOTED IN CONNECTING THE STORIES TO THE COMMUNITY.

HOW DO YOU WORK TOGETHER AND ALLOW YOUR FRIENDS TO COVER WEAKNESSES YOU MAY HAVE?

>> THE BEST PART OF OUR WORK IS HOW COLLABORATIVE AND HOW WE LOVE TO WORK TOGETHER.

ONE THING THAT EXCITES ME IS WE ALL VALUE THE STORYTELLING PLATFORM, INCLUDING DIGITAL SHORT VIDEOS.

WE ARE FINDING THE TYPE OF STORIES WE LIKE TO TELL CAN REALLY SHINE IN THAT KIND OF VERTICAL, AUTHENTIC, PEOPLE FIRST FORMAT.

SO WE ARE ALL COLLABORATING ON DIFFERENT VIDEOS.

WE WENT TO A NIGERIAN RESTAURANT A FEW WEEKS AGO.

WE WENT TO THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS ON A TOUR FOR PEOPLE WITH MEMORY LOSS.

DIGITAL STORYTELLING, VIDEO STORYTELLING IS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR TELLING THE STORIES AND I THINK IT COULD REACH AUDIENCES IN A WAY THAT OTHER TRADITIONAL PLATFORMS CAN’T.

PARIS: I HAVE TO ASK AND I WOULD LOVE EACH OF YOU TO ANSWER.

BECAUSE OF THE TIMES WE ARE IN, ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT HOW LONG YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK?

>> IT IS A THOUGHT IN MY HEAD AT LEAST, THAT THIS WORK IS BEING THREATENED RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THAT BECAUSE IT IS BEING THREATENED, IT ALSO MEANS THAT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO WE WILL KEEP GOING UNTIL WE CAN’T.

>> I WILL ECHO THAT, IT IS UNSETTLING TO SEE EQUITY AND JUSTICE SEEN AS THIS BAD THING OR THIS THING THAT NEEDS TO BE STOPPED OR WHATEVER ELSE PEOPLE HAVE, IDEAS THEY HAVE ABOUT WHATEVER EQUITY AND JUSTICE IS.

I FEEL SO MUCH SUPPORT AND INSPIRATION LOOKING ACROSS OUR UNIT WITH MAGDIELA AND MEGHAN AND YOURSELF, PARIS, AND MORE PEOPLE IN THE NEWSROOM ARE DOING TO MAINTAIN A COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY, EQUITY, JUSTICE, STORYTELLING AND AUTHENTICITY.

THAT INSPIRES ME AND ALLOWS ME TO KEEP GOING AND DOING THIS WORK DESPITE WHATEVER CHALLENGES MAY COME FROM OUTSIDE.

>> TO BE HONEST, I DO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

I THINK OUR JOBS HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT, BUT I ALSO THINK THEY ARE HARDER THAN EVER.

THAT IS WHAT MOTIVATES ME.

IT DOES FEEL MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER COME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE TALK TO FACE-TO-FACE IN OUR STORIES WANT TO BE HEARD.

THEY DESERVE TO BE HEARD AND I THINK ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT OUR TEAM IS THAT, DESPITE WHAT IS HAPPENING NATIONALLY, FEDERALLY WITH ALL OF THE GOVERNMENT CHANGES, WE SPENT TIME, WE SPEND HOURS SITTING AT A CAFÉ TALKING TO PEOPLE WHAT IT -- IS IMPORTANT TO THEM.

.

WE HEAR ABOUT THESE THINGS, BUT HOW MUCH PEOPLE’S LIVES ARE GOING ON, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WORK, PEOPLE’S LIVES MOVE ON EVEN WHEN THINGS ARE HARD.

LIFE DOES GO ONE, AND NOT TO BELITTLE WHAT IS HAPPENING BUT I CONSIDER OURSELVES A TEAM THAT CAN REALLY BE WITH PEOPLE IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES.

PARIS: AS YOU CONTINUE TO DO THIS WORK, IN SPITE OF THE CHALLENGES, WHAT ARE SOME STORIES YOU ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO LOOKING ON?

>> I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ON SOME MORE VIDEO STORIES SO THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO, ADAPTING STORIES TO DIFFERENT PLATFORMS AND MAKING SURE THEY REACH THE BROADER AUDIENCE.

AND I THINK I’M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY GETTING INTO SOME STORIES ABOUT MEDICAL INEQUITIES, BECAUSE IT IS A FIELD THAT INTERESTS ME.

>> I KNOW THE WEALTH GAP IS SOMETHING THAT IS TALKED ABOUT EXTENSIVELY IN BOSTON.

I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING I WOULD LOVE TO DIG INTO FURTHER, THOSE IDEAS THAT, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE TO BUILD A BLACK WALL STREET IN BOSTON?

SEE A THRIVING ECONOMIC HUB OF BLACK ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE COMMUNITIES.

THAT IS SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO DIG INTO GOING FORWARD MORE.

>> I HAVE BECOME INTERESTED IN REPORTING ON EQUITY ISSUES RELATED TO AGING AND OLDER ADULTS.

I HAVE DONE REPORTING ON CAREGIVING AND HOW THERE IS A WORKER SHORTAGE, HOUSING SHORTAGE AND A LACK OF SUPPORT, LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE AS THEY AGE.

IN COMING YEARS THIS PROBLEM IS ONLY GOING TO GET MORE AND MORE AS THE POPULATION GETS OLDER.

SO I THINK THAT IS AN EQUITY ISSUE I WANT TO REALLY DIG INTO MORE.

PARIS: THANK EACH OF YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS WONDERFUL WORK YOU DO, THIS IMPORTANT WORK YOU DO.

THANK YOU.

THANKS TO GBH EQUITY AND JUSTICE UNIT FOR THE POWERFUL DISCUSSION EARLIER.

IT GOT ME THINKING ABOUT THE LEGACY OF EQUITY REPORTING, ESPECIALLY THE KIND PIONEERED BY BLACK-OWNED NEWSPAPERS.

THAT BRINGS US TO OUR NEXT CONVERSATION WITH NONE OTHER THAN RON MITCHELL, PUBLISHER OF THE BAYSTATE BANNER COME ON HOW OUTLETS LIKE HIS OR HER REIMAGINING THE ROLE IN TODAY’S MEDIA LANDSCAPE.

THE BAYSTATE BANNER HAS BEEN A VOICE, A MIRROR AND A MEGAPHONE FOR BOSTON’S BLACK COMMUNITY.

JOINING US IS RON MITCHELL.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

WELCOME TO THE RIFTED SET -- THE ROOTED SET FOR THE FIRST TIME.

RON: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

PARIS: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE MARKING THIS MILESTONE?

RON: 60 YEARS IS A LONG TIME.

MY PARTNER AND I WERE HAPPY TO TAKE OVER THIS LEGACY BRAND AND IT HAS BEEN A WHIRLWIND.

WE OWNED PAPER FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND MADE MAJOR CHANGES AS FAR AS HOW TO PRESENT THE NEWS.

WE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THE QUALITY JOURNALISM THE PAPER WAS FOUNDED ON.

PARIS: IN 1965, THE PAPER CAME ON THE SCENE OF THE -- AT THE HEIGHT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

TALK ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THE BANNER AND WHAT THE RELEVANCE OF A BLACK-OWNED MEDIA OUTLET IS IN 2025.

RON: IT IS CLEAR TO US TODAY THAT LIFE IS CYCLICAL.

WHEN THE BANNER WAS FOUNDED, IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE.

.

CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLEMEL TOLD THE STORIES ABOUT THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY AND DEMANDED OPPORTUNITY EASE AND HOUSING AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE POLICE FORCE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT.

HE WAS PART OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT THAT USHERED IN A NEW PHASE FOR SOCIETY.

HE FIND OURSELVES AGAIN AT A POINT WHERE WE HAVE TO PUSH BACK AND TELL OUR STORIES.

WE ARE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE FOLKS ARE TRYING TO ERASE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY FROM BOOKS.

THE ADMINISTRATION AND VARIOUS OTHER FORCES IN SOCIETY ARE SAYING BLACK LIVES DON’T MATTER, BLACK HISTORY ISN’T REALLY HISTORY, IT ISN’T AMERICAN HISTORY.

BLACK NEWSPAPERS AND BLACK PUBLISHERS HAVE DEALT WITH THIS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF BLACK NEWSPAPERS.

I TRY TO EXPLAIN TO FOLKS THAT FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY, BLACK NEWSPAPERS GOING BACK 250 YEARS IS WHERE BLACK PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WENT TO SEE POSITIVE IMAGES OF OURSELVES BECAUSE IN EARLY OR PRINT IT WAS ALWAYS DEROGATORY.

BLACK, IS, TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR STRUGGLE, OUR FREEDOM AND OUR JOY.

AS WE ARE UNDER ATTACK AGAIN, AS THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS FACING DIRE STRAITS AS FAR AS MAKING SURE OUR MESSAGE IS HEARD AND WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AT THE PACE WE HAD BEEN FOR THE PAST 20 OR 30 YEARS, IT IS IMPORTANT WE CONTINUE TO TELL THAT STORY.

AND THE VOICE OF OUR PEOPLE.

PARIS: YOU ARE DOING THIS AT A TIME WHEN LEGACY MEDIA OUTLETS ARE FACING A LOT OF CHALLENGES.

INCLUDING HERE IN GBH.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES LOOKING LIKE FOR THE BANNER?

HOW DO YOU COMBAT THEM?

RON: WHEN WE CAME IN, THE BANNER HAD A NICE WEBSITE BUT IT DIDN’T DO DIGITAL ADVERTISING OR ANYTHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, DID NOT HAVE A MARKETING STRATEGY FOR THE YOUNGER AUDIENCE.

I REALLY, NOT JUST MYSELF OF MY TEAM CAME IN AND WE SAID, WE HAVE TO GET THE NEWS TO THE YOUNGER FOLKS WHO ARE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, THE PAPER IS GOING TO DIE.

WE ARE WORKING ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, AS MANY PLATFORMS AS WE CAN.

WE IMPLEMENTED STREAMING NEWS SO WE HAVE A HALF-HOUR NEWSCAST THAT WE TAKE EVERY OTHER WEEK, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THE OLD-STYLE NEWSCAST WHERE THE ANCHOR TALKS TO THE CAMERA AND TELLS YOU WHAT IS GOING ON, WE CUT THE STORIES UP INTO INDIVIDUAL PIECES AND WE PUT THEM ON INSTAGRAM AND DIFFERENT PLATFORMS.

WE ARE GETTING THE NEWS TO THE YOUNGER AUDIENCE BECAUSE IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT 18, 19 AND 20-YEAR-OLDS AND 25-YEAR-OLDS AND 35-YEAR-OLDS GET THE COMMUNITY NEWS.

OTHERWISE, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO GET WHAT I CALL INFLUENCES AND PROPAGANDA.

PARIS: HOW IS THAT AGE DEMOGRAPHIC RESPONDING TO THE CHANGES?

RON: WE ARE GROWING, GETTING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CLICKS ON INSTAGRAM AND DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS SO WE ARE NOT, ARE GROWING OUR AUDIENCE AND GETTING A GREAT RESPONSE.

WE DO A LOT OF OTHER THINGS TO MAKE THE PAPER FACING, WE MOVE FROM A MEDICAL OFFICE BUILDING IN DORCHESTER DOWN TO THIS WHERE ON THE FIRST FLOOR.

WE HAVE A TAPING STUDIO ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF OUR OFFICES.

WE ARE DOING LOTS OF OUTREACH, GETTING READY TO BRING BACK THE MAN ON THE STREET.

HE WAS WELL KNOWN IN THE NEWS WHERE YOU WENT AROUND AND ASKED ONE QUESTION OF A PERSON AND THEY WOULD GIVE THEIR OPINION.

PARIS: YOU LEARNED SO MUCH FROM PEOPLE.

RON: WE WILL BRING BACK A DIGITAL VERSION OF THAT WHERE YOU CAN SEND IN YOUR ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ELECTRONICALLY ON THE PHONE, OR GO TO THE WEBSITE AND TELL US YOUR ANSWER TO THE QUESTION.

THOSE WILL BE PRINTED IN THE PAPER AS WELL AS ON OUR WEBSITE.

PARIS: I WANT TO COME BACK TO THE POINT YOU MADE ABOUT JOURNALISM VERSUS INFLUENCERS.

THIS IS A BIG DEAL WHEN WE SPOKE ABOUT YOU AT THE GBH MEDIA SUMMIT AND A NUMBER OF OTHER FOLKS.

THIS CAME UP SO TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW THE BANNER IS NOT ONLY EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE, BUT STRIKING THE BALANCE.

RON: THE BANNER WAS ALWAYS INTO JOURNALISM, GOING OUT AND HAVING REPORTERS TALK TO FOLKS AND TELL THEIR STORIES AND WHAT THEY EXPERIENCE AND CALLOUT INJUSTICE AND CELEBRATE THE GOOD NEWS.

TODAY, WE GO AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS BEST WE CAN.

WE TRY TO EDUCATE FOLKS THROUGH THINGS LIKE THE FORUM NETWORK.

WE WILL BE GETTING OUR SECOND SEASON, WHICH AMPLIFIES CONVERSATIONS.

PARIS: THIS TAKES PLACE AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.

RON: ONCE A MONTH, WE ARE TAPING AMPLIFIED CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT SUBJECTS AND WE BRING IN GUESTS TO TALK ABOUT VARIOUS THINGS.

IN DECEMBER OUR FIRST GBH AMPLIFY NETWORK EVENT WILL BE A CONVERSATION, THE UPCOMING DECEMBER EVENT WILL BE WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, JOURNALISM VERSUS INFLUENCERS.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING A JOURNALIST AND TELLING THE TRUTH OR TELLING A STORY AND, INFLUENCER-ISM, WHAT WE INFLUENCE -- CREATING A STORY AND GETTING A RESPONSE.

A LOT OF JOURNALISTS AND IS TO GET THEM TO RESPOND.

CLICK BAIT, WE WANT SOMEBODY TO RESPOND AND SELL THE STORY AND THAT IS REALLY I THINK WHAT HELPS TO CAUSE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS IN OUR SOCIETY.

IT ALSO HELPS CONFUSE PEOPLE FROM WHAT THE TRUTH IS, TO WHAT THE TRUTH ISN’T.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ALTERNATIVE FACTS.

THERE IS THE TRUTH AND THERE IS PROPAGANDA.

PARIS: HOW DO YOU CUT THROUGH THE NOISE?

THERE IS LOTS OF CONFIRMATION BIAS.

WE HAVE MANY CHOICES ABOUT THE CONTENT WE CONSUME.

HOW DO YOU REACH PEOPLE WHO MAY BE JUST WOULD CHOOSE TO CONSUME SOMETHING ELSE?

RON: IT IS A CHALLENGE, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LOCKED INTO THEIR OWN SET OF COMMUNITIES, AND A LOT OF TIMES, EVERYBODY RECEIVES THE MEDIA THAT AGREES WITH THEIR OPINION.

YOU HAVE TO ASK YOUR READERS AND YOUR VIEWERS TO BE MORE INTELLIGENT, TO BE MORE DISCERNING.

WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS YOU AND SAYS LISTEN, I HAVE THIS GREAT THING, GIVE ME YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER.

PARIS: WHO ARE YOU?

RON: YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE STORIES WITH THE SAME BIT OF SKEPTICISM.

YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR THE FACTS.

WHO IS WRITING THESE?

WHAT IS THE SOURCE?

DO THEY ALWAYS DO JOURNALISM?

IS IT A REAL SOURCE OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT IS PAID OR TO GET ME TO VOTE A CERTAIN WAY?

WHILE WE SAY IT IS A SHAME BECAUSE MUCH OF THE COUNTRY VOTES AGAINST THEIR OWN BEST INTEREST.

THEY VOTE AGAINST SOCIAL PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT THEM.

THAT IS NOT NEW ENGLAND GENERALLY SPEAKING.

THAT IS IN AREAS WHERE THE MESSAGE IS CANCELED, WHERE THE TRUTH IS LIMITED, WHERE THE ABILITY TO HAVE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS WHO TELL THE TRUTH, OR GBH OR PBS TELEVISION PROGRAMS THAT BRING YOU THE FACTS AND ALLOW YOU TO MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS, A LOT OF THOSE COMMUNITIES LACK THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET REAL NEWS.

PARIS: HOW DOES INFORMING THOSE COMMUNITIES AND EQUIPPING THEM WITH THE MEDIA LITERACY IN TURN HELP SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE BANNER?

RON: AT THE BANNER WE HAVE RECEIVED A GOOD BIT OF SUPPORT AS WE TOOK OVER THE PAPER.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE CREATED RECENTLY AS THE BANNER INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY NEWS, OUR ADJACENT NONPROFIT.

IT WILL BE RAISING MONEY TO SUPPORT THE BANNER AND RAISING MONEY TO SUPPORT OTHER NEWS MEDIA THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WHO ARE COMMUNITY NEWS OUTLETS WHO WANT TO CONTINUE TO TELL THE STORIES.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING FOLKS CAN ALSO DONATE TO, THE BANNER INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY NEWS AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO TO BAYSTATE BANNER.COM, OUR PAPER IS FREE.

WE PRINT ALMOST 30,000 PAPERS PER WEEK.

NO PAY WHILE ON THE WEBSITE AND WE WANT YOU TO GET THE TRUTH AND INFORMATION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND AS FREQUENTLY AS POSSIBLE SO WE DON’T HAVE PAY WALLS.

PARIS: HAPPY 60TH ANNIVERSARY TO YOU AND EVERYBODY AT THE BAYSTATE BANNER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME AND INSIGHT AND FOR CONTINUING THIS WONDERFUL LEGACY.

RON: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

PARIS: THIS ISN’T THE END OF THE CONVERSATION.

FOR DEEPER DIVES IN BEHIND-THE-SCENES MOMENTS, FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM, SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE AT GBH NEWS AND TUNE IN ON SPOTIFY OR WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS.

DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER TO STAY IN THE LOOP, STAY ROOTED, STAY WOKE AND AS