Hear This From SXSW: Fresh Media Voices
The Forrest Four-Cast: March 20, 2018
When so much of the media is still white guys in suits, it can be hard to feel like you’re learning the full story. March Magic 2018 brought together a variety of sessions to talk about opportunities for the media to offer new perspectives on diverse experiences and backgrounds. If you missed any of these SXSW sessions, learn more from these full-length audio replays.
Covering Islam as a Muslim in Trump’s America: For too long, discussions about Islam in Western popular media were devoid of actual Muslims. Now, Muslim voices are (a bit) more present, but they’re tasked with representing the most misunderstood religion in the world. Slate’s Aymann Ismail and fellow journalists Rowaida Abdelaziz of HuffPost, Malika Bilal of Al Jazeera and Pakistani-American writer and television developer Ayesha A. Siddiqi examined the challenges of covering Islam amidst widespread misinformation. They discussed responses to their work from Muslims and non-Muslims alike, and whether they feel they’re impacting mainstream attitudes towards Islam.
There Is No Pipeline Problem!. In 2018, it’s complete bullsh*t when a journalism company says it cannot find a qualified woman, person of color or both to be a developer, data journalist, reporter or editor. J-School demographics/enrollment show that there’s NO PIPELINE PROBLEM. But if there’s no pipeline problem, why don’t newsrooms (and other industries) reflect the diverse reality? A diverse panel of four took a look at how you can proactively change your newsroom to be more inclusive through hiring qualified candidates that happen to be diverse.
Creating New Stories of Immigration. Narratives of immigration play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and public policy, but nuanced narratives are all too often missing or ignored. The story of the individual, model immigrant is exalted, but what of those who don’t fit this image? Panelists working from varying perspectives and platforms discussed their efforts to create new forms of storytelling that represent the immigrant experience in all its contours and speak to those on multiple sides of the issue.
Critical Conversations: Identity in Podcasting. Podcasting is a booming business: the audience has grown 40% over the past two years and revenue is nearly doubling year over year. Its intimacy and accessibility have given rise to a wide range of voices, yet as of mid-2017, a majority of the top 100 podcasts were hosted by straight, white men. But things don’t have to stay that way. A diverse panel of podcast hosts from Gimlet Media, WNYC Studios, and more whose shows are changing the conversation one story at a time talked about boosting inclusion in the podcasting environment.
Journalists Shattering the Business Status Quo. Journalists are conquering stereotypes and busting myths every day through their digital, online and print platforms. Meanwhile, newsrooms are taking increased steps to cover diverse audiences and the changing demographics of business. Seasoned journalists shared how news agencies are crafting stories about entrepreneurs of color, female founders, and the inclusive ecosystems that shatter the status quo and explored the changing face of entrepreneurship.
Authentic Storytelling: Designing Narratives Around Cultural Identity. At BuzzFeed, a diverse set of voices are shaping meaningful, genuine storytelling by exploring the larger themes around culture and creating identity based content. Individual creators are empowered to shape stories and narratives around their own personal experiences, building a colorful collection of stories that engage a global audience. The digital media company’s latest storytelling initiative is the Creators Program, helmed by Caitlin Cowie and Ella Mielniczenko, which includes talent from channels including Pero Like, Boldy, Ladylike and more. The creators, including Claudia Restrepo and Jazzmyne Jay, give voice to the underrepresented and showcase unique perspectives, all while experimenting with new formats and evolving for the future.
Find more podcast content by exploring the SXSW online schedule. When you click on a session and see an audio bar, then you’ve got your listening assignment for the day! Also, we’ve made it easier for you by recapping some of the SXSW highlights. Check out previous roundups of audio content related to Senator Bernie Sanders, The Future of Work, Boosting Benefits, Politics Matters, Culture Changers and Building Inclusion.
Lock in SXSW 2018 prices by purchasing a badge for SXSW 2019 during our limited pre-sale. Don’t delay, as this limited pre-sale ends at 11:59 pm PDT on Saturday, March 24.
Hugh Forrest serves as Chief Programming Officer at SXSW, the world’s most unique gathering of creative professionals. He also tries to write at least four paragraphs per day on Medium. These posts often cover tech-related trends; other times they focus on books, pop culture, sports and other current events.
