On any given day, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Orlando Bailey knocking on people’s doors as he navigates Detroit’s neighborhoods.
As the former director of engagement for BridgeDetroit – a digital, nonprofit news site – he was conversing with Detroiters about what they want to see covered in the media. It’s an approach that was born partly out of exasperation: BridgeDetroit’s founders desired media coverage that reflected the city’s demographics and residents’ priorities. So, they built a predominantly Black and Latine newsroom and started asking residents what kinds of coverage were important to them.
“We’re not telling Detroiters what’s news. We’re going to Detroiters to ascertain what the news should be to ascertain what the questions should be and search out real solutions and bring it back to the residents,” Bailey said.
