This document discusses three emerging genres of journalism: constructive journalism, solutions journalism, and restorative narratives. Constructive journalism aims to provide a fuller picture by including both positive and negative news. Solutions journalism focuses on how problems have been solved rather than just reporting on problems. Restorative narratives highlight meaningful human progress and transformation by evoking empathy and examining signs of resilience. The document provides examples and discusses tools for each genre, noting their impacts can include increasing reader engagement and promoting efficacy and optimism.

1. What is
Constructive
Journalism?
By Rhea Wessel

2. Negative News –
Everywhere you turn

3. In Texas School Shooting, 10 Dead, 10 Hurt
and Many Unsurprised

4. A NATION'S SHAME
The true scale of India’s child rape epidemic

5. Trump takes his wrecking ball to global
trading system

6. Resilience
Narratives
Solutions
Journalism
Restorative
Narrative
Constructive Journalism
Three emerging genres of journalism
Stories about meaningful progress
from a place of despair to a place of
resilience

7. Constructive Journalism

8. Driven by Danish journalist
Catherine Gyldensted

9. Gives a fuller picture by
also including the positive.

11. Section title: “Before, everything was
worse.”
The rich are getting richter. The poor,
too.

12. How Could You? 19
Questions to Ask
Loved Ones Who
Voted the Other Way

13. 1. Describe your
relationship to me.

14. 2. Are we close?

15. 3. Who did I vote for and
why?

16. 14. What is a trait you find
positive about my
candidate?

17. 15. What is something that
you don’t like about the
candidate you voted for?

18. 16. Is there anything you
are hopeful about in a
Trump presidency?

19. 18. What do you think we
agree on?

20. 19. Do you still like me?

21. My country talks: ZeitOnline develops global
platform for 2-person political conversations

22. Imposter or
constructive
journalism?
Imposter or
constructive
journalism?

23. Constructive Journalism
Toolkit:
A different set of questions

24. How did you
become homeless?
What are your plans for the
future?

25. Why do so many people in
this country use drugs
to get through the day?
What is your advice to
those who want
to get off opioids?

26. Why are you against
immigration?
Tell me about an
experience you had
with an immigrant?

27. Solutions
Journalism
Constructive Journalism
Three emerging genres of journalism

28. Solutions Journalism

29. Instead of a “who done it” –
a “how done it”

31. Solution Journalism
Examples

36. The flying gas station: Airplanes can save fuel if they
tank up in the air. A new system is to make this happen

37. You want to make the world a better place? Become a banker!
People in the “Earn to Give” movement want to earn as much as
possible in order to give as much as possible

38. Solution Journalism
New questions

39. How have other communities
helped … obese children
become healthier?

40. What’s different about
your approach?

41. What will it take to … educate
young people on the basics of
personal finance?

42. Imposter or
solutions
journalism?

44. Companies and constructive or
solutions journalism ?
Supporting journalists
with solutions research?

45. Solutions
Journalism
Restorative
Narrative
Constructive Journalism
Three emerging genres of journalism
Stories about meaningful progress
from a place of despair to a place of
resilience

46. Restorative Narrative

48. Highlights meaningful
human progression –
examines the transformation

49. Evokes vicarious empathy

50. Restorative Narrative
Examples

53. Restorative Narrative -Examples

56. Restorative Narrative
Highlights signs of an active
soul
and the will to go on

57. How did you come to see
that differently?

58. Where did you find
the strength
to …

59. What touched you
about this situation?

60. Restorative Narratives
EVOKING EMPATHY
Solutions Journalism
EXAMINING ACTION
Constructive Journalism
CHANGING PERCEPTIONS
Three emerging genres of journalism

61. Question your questions
How do you do it?

62. The Impact
• Time on page was higher for readers of solutions articles compared to readers of non-
solutions articles.
• Self-efficacy and optimism were greater for those exposed to solutions articles vs non-
solutions articles.

63. Finding the
transformation
story
Part 2

64. Interviewing for the transformation story
• Brainstorm life turning points
• Later: Interview your partner

65. Interviewing for the transformation story
When did you realize you had been silenced for so long?
What boosted your confidence as a young woman?
Where were you when you understood your partner would
always have the last word?
What gave you the strength to leave that relationship?
How has this awareness helped you moving forward?

66. For the interviewer
Look for:
• Instances of self-acceptance
• New perspectives
• Finding of purpose
• Moments of progress
• Points of insight
• Positive relations with others
• Growing self-confidence with new
“technical”competence
• More autonomy/ self-determination

67. Interview
5-minutes each

68. What was the insight
that was most important
to you?

69. Application
in your work?

70. Rhea Wessel
+49 6173 995 893
+49 170 814 2488
rhea@rheawessel.com
rheawessel.com
American writer and story consultant
in Germany