Welcome to the Listening Post Collective
About Us
The Listening Post Collective is a project of Internews. Launched to bring international experience and strategies around serving community information needs to the U.S., the Listening Post Collective is made up of former journalists, business leaders, humanitarian activists, grassroots organizers, and public policy analysts.
Our News Information Crisis
- The historic and expanding news deserts diminish civic engagement and fuels mis/disinformation
- Even in places that have robust traditional news ecosystems and are not considered “news deserts,” there are whole communities who still lack equitable access to information. Legacy journalism often misrepresents or ignores altogether the stories of BIPOC and immigrant communities
- Equitable media leaders need more support + advocacy systems
What We Do
We partner with people and organizations to develop local news and information solutions that help communities thrive. Fostering equitable media leadership requires trust and time. We work to listen, build networks, understand information needs, and develop real solutions through true collaboration.
Our Vision
At the Listening Post Collective, we envision a world where everyone lives not in a news desert but in an information garden, where everyone has access to high-quality, culturally-relevant, civic information in accessible languages and on issues that impact them.
We see a future where civic power is strengthened by equitable, civic media.
We’re Uniquely Situated To Take On This Work
Experience
We draw on 40 years of global experience building healthy media and information environments, especially in vulnerable communities.
Tools
Our three-step civic media design process is straight forward – listen, seed, and cultivate- and it guides us towards a deep and authentic understanding of how to support communities.
Listen to your community before you worry about tax status
Picture of LPC Micro-grantees Santa Cruz Local accepting their LION Award
The future of news is independently-owned journalism startups who identify as community-centered businesses. Not as catchy a headline as the more commonly referenced “the future of news is nonprofit.” But the nuance matters.
The Challenge of Creating Equitable Local News
Picture of Andrea Wenzell with her book “Anti-Racist Journalism: The Challenge of Creating Equitable Local News”
The Listening Post Collective recently caught up with Andrea Wenzel, the author of the new book, Antiracist Journalism: The Challenge of Creating Equitable Local News. Wenzel explores how to identify and deal with structural racism in US newsrooms.
“Divest from the ‘news desert’ framework — grow information gardens”
Picture of Anthony Victoria at Media Literacy Workshop in Inland Empire
How to divest from the “news desert” framework by listening to and supporting locally-grown civic media makers and projects to help them thrive long-term.
2023 Reflections from the Collective
Picture of Sergio Cortes from LPC Partnership Program and outlet uSpark
It wouldn’t be the end of year without sharing some highlights and headlines. In this newsletter we’ve got some end of year reflections from places as diverse as Kyiv and Trenton, New Jersey. We asked them to share something meaningful from their civic media work this year.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Listening Post Collective Partners meet with LPC Senior Business Strategist Silvia Rivera at a conference in Austin, Tx
This month we say goodbye to an amazing colleague and friend, Silvia Rivera, who has transformed our work over the past 3+ years. We’re so luck to have worked with such a thoughtful, mission driven, and incredibly fun person. Here are Silvia’s parting words of wisdom on the LPC stage
Our Impact
Information Ecosystem Assessments
Total $ Microgrants Distributed since 2017
Playbook Collective Members
Testimonials
Thank You to Our Funders and Collaborators
