Crime reporting is getting a makeover in many newsrooms. The axiom, “If it bleeds, it leads,” is being reshaped into public safety journalism.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune is a prime example. “Context and history must go along with reporting about what’s happening with crime in our communities. It’s about informing the public so they can make good choices about their safety,” said Kyndell Harkness, head of culture and community at the Star.
One online course, “Transforming Local Crime Reporting Into Public Safety Journalism,” offered by the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, has sparked change on the crime beat. “We were already heading down that road, but that program gave us structure in a way we needed at the time,” said Harkness, who took the course when it first was offered in 2022.
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