Behind the Scenes: MassLive Neighborhood Visits Build Ties Across the City
Local news only works when journalists are present in the communities they serve. That’s why I joined a group of MassLive reporters at Life Alive Cafe in Jamaica Plain for another MassLive Neighborhood Visit—an opportunity to talk with neighbors, local officials, business owners and others about what matters most in their community.
At this stop, Bonnie Delaune, chief of staff to City Councilman Ben Weber, joined us for a conversation about issues ranging from bike lanes and affordable housing to the new women’s professional soccer stadium. (Click here for a peak at our visit.)
I asked our Boston-based Editor Anne Brennan to talk more about these visits and how we can build on them going forward.
Josh: What made you and the team want to do this?
Anne: When MassLive expanded its coverage into Boston and surrounding communities, we wanted to meet people where they live and hear directly what matters to them. These visits help us build relationships, surface story ideas and show how local journalism works at a time when trust in media is under pressure.
Josh: How many have you done so far and how is it working out as you imagined?
Anne: We started these monthly visits in January and have already been to Dorchester, Roxbury, East Boston, Brighton and Jamaica Plain. We’ve met in libraries and local businesses, spoken with residents, activists, politicians and business owners, and come away with a stronger understanding of each neighborhood and new story ideas.
We’re also seeing momentum build. More people are showing up because they saw our outreach, and more passersby are stopping to talk. In Jamaica Plain, we heard concerns about traffic safety, city budget cuts and efforts to reopen a community pool.
Next month we will visit the Fenway neighborhood on June 25, and in July we will visit Roslindale.
Josh: Will you continue this and expand?
Anne: Yes, over the next year we do plan to expand our visits to other communities beyond Boston. If someone would like to invite us to their neighborhood, contact me at abrennan@masslive.com.
But wait, there’s more…
Neighborhood Visits are but one way we’re building stronger ties in Boston. We’re also creating community engagement boards around key regional issues and expanding events that bring business, civic and community leaders together. Our goal is to be not just a trusted source of news and sports, but a real presence in the communities we serve.
As always, reach out to me at jmacht@masslive.com with questions, comments or ideas.
Have a great weekend,
Josh
