How the Human Journalism Network is Changing Collaboration Within and Between Newsrooms
In an age where local narratives often go unheard, the Human Journalism Network (HJN) stands as a beacon, spotlighting overlooked stories and fostering international collaboration in journalism. Founded in 2023 by Chani Guyot, a distinguished Argentine journalist and media innovator, HJN aims to amplify underreported stories while uniting newsrooms worldwide.
This pioneering initiative operates as a bridge for 14 news outlets across the globe, curating 'human journalism' narratives that delve into critical global issues. With a focus on constructive human stories, HJN endeavors to drive positive change and deepen global understanding.
“Readers are nowadays many times exposed to a fast, superficial approach to international news. We’re facilitating a network that provides outlets with local, in-depth, quality journalism that showcases the constructive human stories behind those many times overwhelming headlines,” said Guyot.
The collaborative nature of HJN encourages news outlets to share one article per week, selected, edited, and translated by the HJN team. These stories cover a spectrum of global challenges, including migration, climate change, health, human rights, and urban issues.
Participating newsrooms from diverse backgrounds including Peru's Convoca, South Africa's Daily Maverick, Spain's elDiario.es, Canada's The Globe and Mail, among others, have been part of this movement. Stories published by these outlets showcased resilience in environmental conservation, initiatives empowering marginalized groups, and community-driven solutions for sustainable change.
The success of HJN lies not just in its ability to republish stories but in its collaborative spirit. More than 25 reported stories have been shared over 200 times across the network, reaching over 500,000 pageviews, illustrating the project's wide-reaching impact.
For Guyot and the HJN team, the focus now shifts to enhancing the project's efficiency and global reach. Plans for the upcoming year include expanding the network to 24 outlets and doubling the republished stories to 48.
Efforts will also concentrate on refining translation processes to make articles universally comprehensible. Emphasis on 'global editing' aims to ensure that local details are clear to a broader audience, enabling a deeper understanding of diverse stories.
Sustainable business models have been a focus, with HJN exploring various revenue streams while maintaining the network's essence. As the project embarks on its 2024 edition, it invites media outlets worldwide to join this collaborative journey, advocating for diverse storytelling and community-building in journalism as a whole.
