Cleveland, OH — During the week of August 13, 2018, FreshWater Cleveland will kick off its very first “On the Ground” community reporting program, focused on the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland. The project is made possible in partnership with Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation, Greater Cleveland Partnership, Cleveland Development Advisors, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, and Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
The concept of On the Ground is to use an “embedded journalism” model to maintain a presence in one or more neighborhoods for a sustained period of time—in this case, 10 weeks in Old Brooklyn. During this period, a dedicated team of FreshWater editors and writers will create in-depth weekly coverage to tell the story of the businesses, individuals, and nonprofits working and living in Old Brooklyn. Along with feature and news stories, live events and video content are also an integral part of the storytelling approach.
Some of the themes and topics explored will include: momentum in economic development; significant shifts in population growth and demographics; strides in education; the results of an in-depth community health assessment; and efforts to enhance and improve the community. In keeping with FreshWater’s focus, the series will also highlight the people, projects, and places transforming and shaping Old Brooklyn. FreshWater is actively seeking media partnerships to help maximize the impact and spread the storytelling effort as wide as possible. To learn more or propose a partnership, please reach out to Jen Jones Donatelli at
[email protected].
About On the Ground: On the Ground is a program of the Detroit-based media company Issue Media Group (FreshWater’s parent company). On the Ground aims to enhance the voice of individuals, and organizations working as agents of change in neighborhoods.
On The Ground focuses on “solutions-oriented” journalism and community engagement, with a goal of bringing awareness and investment into existing initiatives in neighborhoods.
Since launching On the Ground back in 2013, IMG has worked in over 20 different neighborhoods across the country. There are currently On the Ground programs taking place in Memphis, Ypsilanti and Kalamazoo ( two cities in Michigan), and now Cleveland. IMG views this engagement as an initial investment into a neighborhood. Programs are tailored to approach the needs of each neighborhood differently and treated as the first step in creating long-term media impact in the highlighted areas.
Enjoy this content?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each month.