By Jake Krauss
“Check your ego at the door,” said Ben Weider, providing sage advice on approaching collaborations at DCSWA’s 2018 Professional Development Day. Weider, a data reporter for McClatchy, emphasized how important it is to acknowledge the strengths of all parties involved in a project for a successful collaboration.
Moderated by Adam Allington, a Global Environmental Reporter for Bloomberg Environment, the panel discussed the strategies and best practices for working collaboratively to produce better content.
Ideas for new collaborations, according to Weider, can be found by pursuing past stories further and by leveraging connections with other reporters. He advised to “be persistent, but polite” when making first contact.
Eliza Barclay, an editor for Vox, added that you can team up with others who share your passions to better look at a “confluence of issues” and create a more engaging story.
To foster these collaborations, Weider highlighted the value of brainstorming sessions to practice bouncing around ideas for collaborative work, designating time and resources if possible.
Barclay encouraged other editors to allow space for “deep work,” or uninterrupted time for focusing on big projects outside the regular beat. Barclay encouraged attendees to “take control and ask for the space,” even if the person in question is not in charge, since distractions can hinder big, impactful projects.
Andrea Kissack, Chief Science editor for National Public Radio, mentioned that their science desk actually designates a person to scout for collaborations. She urged attendees to begin partnerships by “starting small then scaling up…to build trust and familiarity.” With respect to planning collaborations, she said “the earlier the better,” and added that it is important to really prioritize them throughout the regular news cycle.
A good collaboration allows everyone to bring something unique to the table. According to Weider, “to have everyone feeling equally incentivized, each person needs to feel a sense of ownership.” By delineating roles and leveraging the strengths of each person involved, others can “feel that they have an equal stake in the project.” He emphasized that defining these roles at the outset is important.
Kissack confirmed the importance of having all bases covered by bringing in a “multitude of skillsets,” and suggested addressing different priorities among collaborators and various core audiences.
Weider concluded by stressing the importance of humility when working with others, and he suggested mapping out project streams and divvying them up evenly. Maintaining the relationship is key, said Weider, as is following up with the collaborator as you would for a source.
While it is important that everyone has an equal stake, Barclay stressed that “someone has to take charge editorially—ideally the subject expert.”
Kissack mentioned that it is good to pair people with a breadth of expertise and those with fresh perspectives on a big project. She also suggested using audience engagement tools to collect ideas and focus responses, prioritizing projects that reach out to audiences in a new way. She admitted that there is a “dance” between being open to these sorts of new opportunities and pausing for the ever-chaotic news cycle—a balance that can be tricky to manage.
For further advice, examples, and information, check out this google doc put together by the panel.
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