PBS Books to Offer Livestream Coverage of Keynote Addresses by David Bornstein and Amy Goyer at Solutions Journalism Collaborative Summit
Noted authorities on media and family care to speak at a two-day conference on how journalists can better report on important issues of contemporary life, such as caregiving and mental health

Talks by David Bornstein are at 1:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 19, and Amy Goyer at 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 20, can be viewed on PBSBooks.org

PBS Books will provide live coverage as two of the most preeminent authorities in their field discuss how the media can improve its reporting on the crucial topics of caregiving and mental health.

David Bornstein, founder and CEO of the Solutions Journalism Network, and Amy Goyer, AARP’s family and caregiving expert, will each deliver a keynote address at the Solutions Journalism Collaborative Summit, hosted by the New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative, the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative and Detroit PBS.

PBS Books will livestream these two talks to libraries and public television stations nationwide, as well as to the general public at PBSBooks.org. David Bornstein will speak at 1:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 19, and Amy Goyer at 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 20.

The conference will take place at the Atheneum Suites Hotel in downtown Detroit, bringing together journalists and community members to share ideas, hone professional skills, and learn how to adopt the principles of solutions journalism to their coverage of the many issues faced by those caring for older adults and those concerned about the mental health of their communities. A solutions story goes beyond merely describing a social problem; instead, it reports on successful responses to those issues locally and nationally, evidence of progress being made, analysis of limitations in replicating those approaches, and insights from lessons learned.

David Bornstein will kick off the Solutions Journalism Summit by discussing the role solutions journalism can play in helping news organizations confront evolving challenges in the news around trust, audience engagement, equity, and sustainability. He will be introduced by Stephen Henderson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and host of Detroit Public TV’s “American Black Journal.”

The following day, Amy Goyer will offer a presentation entitled “Choosing to Care,” focusing on the intersection of mental health and caregiving and real-world solutions for journalists to vet and turn into impactful stories. She will be introduced by Paula Duren, the founder and CEO of Universal Dementia Caregivers, a nonprofit educating caregivers, families, and communities supporting loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases.

The New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative (NYMI SOJO) is a group of news and community organizations covering chronic problems with a solutions lens. Its inaugural project, Invisible Army: Caregiving on the Front Lines, has explored successful responses to challenges experienced by caregivers and older adults.

It is being joined in hosting the summit by the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative, whose Mental Wellness Project is a solutions-oriented initiative focused on mental health issues.

“This is the first time that members of solutions journalism collaboratives in Michigan and New York are gathering to get to know each other, learn from each other, and take their solutions journalism to the next level,” said Karen Magnuson, project director of New York and Michigan for the Solutions Journalism Network. “The summit also provides a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of solutions journalism and the topics our collaboratives are covering. The pandemic exacerbated issues facing caregivers of older adults and people struggling with mental health.

“It’s never been more critical for journalists to move beyond reporting on just the problems to provide options for positive change.”

Melinda Clynes, project director and editor of the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative, added, “We are excited to join our partners in hosting this educational event for journalists working to report on solutions to mental health and caregiving issues in our perspective markets. We look forward to meeting colleagues from Southeast Michigan and Western New York and sharing best practices.”

A third partner in the project, Detroit PBS, is helping to plan and organize the summit, providing communications guidance and making the keynote talks available to a national audience through PBS Books. It is also an active member of the New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative.

“As a community-based public media station, our mission aligns perfectly with what Solutions Journalism seeks to accomplish,” said Rich Homberg, president and CEO of Detroit PBS (which created and manages PBS Books). “It is not enough to surface the many problems our communities face, but by engaging with them, we must work to find common ground and novel approaches to enhance the quality of life of the people we serve.

“Our great media and community partners who are involved in this summit will help us make important strides in realizing this goal.”

Any individuals or organizations that wish to carry these two presentations on their own website or social media platforms can do so free of charge. For technical information on this process, please contact Eric Freeland at efreeland@dptv.org

Background on speakers:
David Bornstein co-founded the Solutions Journalism Network in 2013 with Tina Rosenberg and Courtney Martin. He has been a journalist, focusing primarily on social innovation, for more than 30 years. He began his career reporting on metro issues for New York Newsday, then shifted to international reporting, contributing to numerous publications. From 2010-21, he co-authored the “Fixes” column in The New York Times, which examined efforts to solve social and environmental problems. He is the author of: “How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas,” which has been published in 25 languages, “The Price of a Dream: The Story of the Grameen Bank,” and “Social Entrepreneurship: What Everyone Needs to Know.”

Amy Goyer is AARP’s national family and caregiving expert and moderates its Family Caregivers Discussion Group on Facebook. She has more than 35 years of professional experience serving and advocating for older adults, children and families, and people with disabilities. She has been a family caregiver her entire adult life, caring for her grandparents, parents, sisters, and other relatives and friends. She has written three books and appears regularly as a caregiving authority on network news shows, including more than a dozen times on NBC’s “Today.” She has been a guest on “Dr. Phil” and “The Doctors” and has been interviewed by CNN, NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and People, among other media outlets.

New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative (NYMI SOJO)
The New York & Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative consists of 26 news organizations and six community partners pooling time, talent, and resources to cover chronic problems with a solutions lens. It is modeled on other successful news collaboratives supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. Its inaugural project, Invisible Army: Caregiving on the Front Lines, has produced rigorous reporting on successful responses to challenges experienced by caregivers and older adults.

Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative (SWMJC)
A dynamic group of 12 partners representing media, educational, or community organizations dedicated to strengthening local journalism, the SWMJC supports and enhances the news ecosystem in Southwest Michigan, providing accurate and equitable coverage and promoting diversity of voices among journalists and sources alike. The collaborative is currently working on the Mental Wellness Project, a solutions-oriented journalism initiative covering mental health issues in Southwest Michigan.

PBS Books: (PBSBooks.org)
Started in 2015, PBS Books is a trusted national brand and a multiplatform initiative connecting diverse audiences to books through PBS stations and programming, daily and original content, book fairs, conferences, live performances, screenings, and other book-related events. The vision of PBS Books is to foster a community of people engaged in unique literary experiences that spark their curiosity, promote dialogue, and inspire learning. PBS Books aims to provide context for complex issues — both national and local. In early 2019 with the support of the Knight Foundation and the Wyncote Foundation, PBS Books launched a free Library Engagement Program, which currently has more than 1,800 library partners. Today, PBS Books produces regular virtual content promoting critical dialogue about current topics and critical issues in communities across the U.S.

Detroit PBS: (DPTV.org)
Serving Southeast Michigan, Detroit PBS is Michigan’s largest and most watched television station, with the most diverse public television audience in the country. Each week, more than two million people watch Detroit PBS’s five broadcast channels, and nearly 200,000 people listen to its radio station, 90.9 WRCJ, for classical days and jazzy nights. In addition, Detroit PBS is building the next generation of public media with a rapidly growing digital presence, which now reaches more than half a million unique visitors through its website, YouTube channels, and social media platforms each month.