Q&A with Gopal Sathe, Audience Development Editor at Context
Highlights from our Instagram Live with Audience Development Editor, Gopal Sathe, from Context by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
As part of our series, “The Disruptors”, we spoke to Audience Development Editor, Gopal Sathe, from Context by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Gopal talked to us about telling climate stories from the global south that aren’t meant to shock and scare but prioritise human experiences.
Q: How do you build an audience for a climate story, especially in the media space that has so much news about the climate crisis? And what do you do when a climate story doesn’t attract the attention you expect?
A: Firstly, of course, is that you’re not trying to build an audience for a story. You are trying to build an audience for conversation, and we want to be a part of that conversation because we have insights to offer. Not every story that you do is going to reach people, but you want that larger conversation to be in front of people.
The other part is, for people it’s about news that you can use. One example is climate change has been causing flooding again, and we didn’t see support to spawn flood insurance in the US, and how that is impacting people. Our story was very successful from the perspective of teaching people but also because I think that they will take action.
One of the things I do to promote stories is find aligned organisations and make sure there are people within them who can take the story forward.
Q: What kind of stories and storytellers are you looking for?
A: We want to cover stories with impact. If you are telling a story about a crisis, you must centre the voices of the people from the place, because otherwise, you’re not really connected with the issue and you probably miss some of the nuances. Also, when you’re looking at stories and what people are interested in, having a good understanding of the topic or subject is really important. You want to write for people who can actually make an impact. So having that sound understanding and really knowing that topic is what really matters to others.
Q: What is your advice to early career media professionals who want to impact all kinds of stories?
A: I will say the most important thing is to try and find stories that aren’t just about things that are happening. You want to think about what is happening to people and why. So for example, one of the sections in climate that I think is really exciting is seeing job stories because we often talk about climate change shutting down industries and jobs being swept away. But there’s also new opportunities coming up and there are chances for people to adapt and innovate. Highlighting that gives people something beyond the gloom and doom.
There is a limited attention span for bad news, so being able to cut through that noise and think, what are the solutions? Stories of hope and also stories of people going beyond these challenges is really important.
Watch the session here.