What is Humane Reporting?

Humane reporting is a new style of journalism that focuses on the personal stories behind broader political and social issues. It uses people on the ground–activists, nongovernmental organizations and those directly affected by the issues, rather than policymakers and bureaucrats–as primary sources. Humane reporting gives activism and people’s struggles for economic and social justice equal time and attention in media. The CLP sees journalism as a public service and uses humane reporting to help re-establish trust between people and the media in a time when too many are cynical about the motives and credibility of journalists.

What Do You Mean by a “Common Language”?

The CLP believes that journalism can help foster dialogue among people engaged in common struggles across the political, geographic, ethnic and linguistic barriers that divide them. Whether through a common struggle or shared issues and concerns, we believe that people on the ground in any country or culture often have more in common with each other than with the political leaders, businesspeople, or celebrities that are said to represent them. The CLP wants to encourage that conversation.

What Kind of Work Do You Produce?

The CLP is an online multimedia magazine, offering written articles, blogs, photography and radio shorts, multimedia pieces and video. Because complex stories require a multi-dimensional approach, the CLP has gone beyond the strict confines of single-medium reporting to include editorials, personal accounts, music, photo essays and first-person testimonials in our work. All of this is available on our website, and for reprinting by other independent media ventures.

What is the Common Language Newswire?

While all CLP articles, photos, and audio are published directly in our online magazine, they also act as a source of free, original international coverage for other independent media sources. All of our material is available for reprinting through the Common Language Newswire. We welcome any independent news source to publish any of our work–we just want to hear about it. If you’re interested please write to newswire@clpmag.org.

Where Has the CLP Been Reprinted?

CLP articles, radio, video and photography have been published or broadcast in or on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, The San Francisco Chronicle, BBC Focus on Africa Magazine, 51% The Women's Perspective, Living on Earth, The World Vision Report, KUOW 949 Seattle, The East African, SGI Quarterly, PBS's Frontline World, PBS's Foreign Exchange with Daljit Dhaliwal, Yin Radio, Global Policy Forum, 1h2o.org, NPR's Morning Edition, The Daily Nation, PRI's The World, Earthwalkers, AlterNet, Women's eNews, the Nature Stories Podcast, YouTube, Listen Up Northwest, The Indypendent, Seattle Weekly, $pread Magazine, IndyKids, Glimpse Abroad, The Times of Central Asia, Seattle IMC, Fault Lines, The Melbourne IMC, PukhtunWomen, World Hum, The New Hampshire IMC, Infoshop News, Mines and Communities, Riverfront Times, KI Media, sexworkeurope.org, The Providence Journal, Brave New Traveler, World Peace Emerging, The Seattle Weekly, WBEZ Chicago/Chicago Public Radio and Village 900 Global Roots Radio.

What Else Do You Do?

While in the US we continue covering underreported social justice stories in the Seattle area, in addition to our reporting, Seattle-based CLP staff offer media literacy workshops and make-your-own media classes to students from high school to graduate school throughout the Seattle area and all over the country. Visit our Education page for details, or write to education@clpmag.org.

Who is Your Audience?

Our readers are global citizens frustrated with one-dimensional corporate media. Our audience is truly interested in understanding and connecting with people from around the world and feels that independent media has a vital role to play in fostering international communication and in defining the issues that make the news. We are a media source for a new generation of news consumers.

Where Have You Been?

In 2006, we were in…

Thailand , Cambodia, India, Pakistan , Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan , Israel, Palestine, Jordan , Egypt and Turkey.

In 2007, we reported from Seattle, Washington.

In 2008, we reported from …

Eastern Africa - Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda.

 

Where Are You Now?

We've just returned to Seattle, Washington from four months reporting in Eastern Africa to on water scarcity, resource equality and climate change. Check out our East Africa Project Page for the latest.

How is the CLP Funded?

Because we believe that media sources should be beholden only to their readers, we do not accept any advertising or ever sell subscriber information, and the bulk of our funding comes from direct reader support. International reporting doesn’t have to be an expensive venture, and small contributions can go a long way–an entire issue of our magazine can be funded for as little as $1000. If you’d like to donate to the CLP, please click here. Our 2008 Eastern Africa project is partially funded by The Pulitzer Center On Crisis Reporting. We are always seeking grants from like-minded foundations in order to expand our scope and reporting staff–if you know of a funding opportunity that might be a good fit, please write to us at info@clpmag.org