BirminghamWatch

Doubling Down: Donate to BirminghamWatch Before Dec. 31 and Double the Power of Your Gift

Dec. 31 is the last day to donate to BirminghamWatch and double the impact of your gift. Until then, News Match 2017 will match any donation up to $1,000. News Match, a $3 million program to support nonprofit and investigative news organizations, is a collaboration of the Democracy Fund, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. It is the largest grassroots fundraising campaign to support nonprofit news organizations that play a vital role informing the public and holding those in power accountable. BirminghamWatch, the news reporting arm of the Alabama Initiative for Independent Journalism, was chosen as one of 110 news organizations participating in News Match. Each of the organizations is eligible to receive up to $28,000 in matching money. “At a time when trust in media is at an all-time low, nonprofit journalism organizations are directly connecting with people to understand their needs and concerns, while providing vital news and information to communities across the nation,” said Jennifer Preston, Knight Foundation vice president for journalism. “This initiative will help news organizations that are imperative to our democracy build resources and widen their supporter base, just when they need it most.” Read more.

by BirminghamWatch

Electionland Wins Online Journalism Award

ProPublica and the Electionland coalition won an Online Journalism Award for planned news/events, announced at the Online News Association Conference and Awards Banquet on Saturday. A collaboration with a coalition of organizations, Electionland tracked voter experiences in the November 2016 election in real time, across thousands of polling sites. BirminghamWatch participated in the project, monitoring and reporting on local polling places. Read more.

by ProPublica

Real News or Fake? How Do You Tell the Difference? (Hint: It Takes Work)

Figuring out whether news is real or fake in today’s click-driven media landscape requires increased awareness and diligence by the public, experts concluded at a Thursday night Media Savvy forum, held in the Edge of Chaos room at UAB’s Lister Hill Library. Media Savvy: Smart Choices in a Changing Information Age included discussion by audience members and presenters about how economics, technology and social media continue to change how Americans receive, understand and trust – or don’t trust – the news and the news media. “Ten years ago, and it seems almost quaint now, the focus was on accuracy,” said Carol Nunnelley, veteran newspaper editor and executive director of the nonprofit Alabama Initiative for Independent Journalism and its public service reporting arm, BirminghamWatch. “Today’s media have to fight for attention. It’s hard to tell who is telling us what and for what purpose.”

by Jackie Romine Walburn

Supporters

    The photographs throughout this initial edition of BirminghamWatch.org are the work of Walt Stricklin and generously donated by him for use on the website. Stricklin is president/CEO of Walt Stricklin Photography. He is a former director of photography for The Birmingham News and The Chattanooga Times and was a 1982 finalist for the

by Liz Harris