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On Being · November 7, 2024 · 60m

David Bornstein — What If Journalism Had a Better Story to Tell?

David Bornstein on how the traditional theory of journalism — shining a light on what is wrong — has helped fuel fear and collapse of trust. Solutions journalism offers an alternative: reporting on how communities actually solve problems.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Canon

Bornstein: journalism's exclusive focus on problems creates a false picture of reality. When only bad news is reported, people believe the world is worse than it is. This isn't misinformation — it's a structural distortion.
Bornstein: constant exposure to problems without solutions creates learned helplessness. The information environment teaches people that nothing works, which becomes self-fulfilling as they stop trying.
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