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OUR IMPACT  >  STORIES

A Temperature Check

As executive director of digital content and innovation at VPM, Virginia’s home for public media, Angela Massino turned to ISPU resources when she began conceptualizing a new podcast on refugee resettlement more than two years ago. Her team used ISPU’s toolkit for journalists and data on demographics and Muslim experiences to inform their work all along the way

“I look at this research as a tool, like many tools, to help inform how we frame and inform a project—in the same way that we listened to many podcasts, read books, met with policy experts etc. What is unique though, is it specifically calls out issues in the past made by the media and their implications on public opinion. This is helpful, it reemphasizes the responsibility of the media and holds us accountable.”

I look at this research as a tool, like many tools, to help inform how we frame and inform a project.

To avoid falling into tropes of Muslim refugees, Angela read through our guide and shared it with newsroom colleagues. “The points made in the report were top of mind while going through the editorial process.” She said ISPU’s toolkit for journalists was used as a temperature check, as they asked, “Are we headed in the right direction, especially when it came to early reporting and project building? Does this small phrasing here give emphasis to a single person’s perspective/experience or does it unintentionally paint a larger, negative picture if read between the lines? Are we focusing on the humanity of the individual rather than their tragedy? How are we talking about the conflict which people are fleeing? Are we making sure not to use unintentionally dehumanizing terms and phrasing?”

Resettled is out and featured on Apple Podcasts now.

Learn more about ISPU’s impact→

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