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Non-news experts share their insights to help news leaders on their challenge; the experts also gain ideas for further research and potential collaboration. We’ve been evaluating how we make this work at our summits, where the interaction between news leaders and non-news experts is a top-rated attribute.

To support the work of civil society, philanthropy and research, we are sharing what we’ve learned in terms of what ideas have resonated. Here are some of the calls to action that  sparked interest from news leaders over several recent API Local News Summits.

When community members are no longer voters, their needs become diffuse once again and there is no clear, focusing mandate. So many newsrooms slip back into the usual: politics coverage driven by politicians and press releases. How do we avoid that backslide?

How can we avoid that backslide this time? 

What news organizations continue to do in the days and weeks ahead will matter more than ever. They will bring people into community conversations or exclude them. They will create understanding or sow confusion.

This list of election coverage resources is meant to provide journalists with tools they can use immediately in their work during the election week and in the weeks ahead.

We see in research how trusted messengers matter for news that’s shared. We know Millennials and Gen Z pay for or donate to support email newsletters or video or audio from independent creators at higher rates than newspapers.

Election-focused flyers, postcards and print voter guides will add to the knowledge of how news organizations can deploy print to reach new audiences and deepen community ties.

A white paper based on the research of more than a dozen journalists and scholars will provide details on why the gap exists, as well as solutions for solving the problem.

With November fast-approaching, we are re-upping both Election Day and post-election resources that news leaders may want to use.

Liz Worthington has interacted with more than 800 publishers worldwide and worked directly with 400 of them over the past 10 years.