A cross-border and bilingual exchange of information underpins a collaborative project to address changes on Europe’s North Sea coast.

With the coast experiencing profound changes – including growth in renewable energy such as offshore wind farms – the Future North Sea project has been designed to help publishers connect with and meet the needs of the affected communities using constructive journalism.

Based in Berlin, Germany, DPA product manager Katja Fleischmann explains efforts to strengthen regional publishers through the Drive project in an INMA Ideas Blog.

“The North Sea coast is one of the most beautiful regions in Europe,” she says. “With its kilometres of sandy beaches, it stretches from the Netherlands to Germany, the UK, Denmark and Norway.

“Today, it is experiencing profound changes, such as climate change, growth in renewable energy (particularly focusing on offshore wind farms and hydrogen production), and tourism, which is creating infrastructure changes and spikes in property prices.”

Fleischmann says the changes hold local, national, and cross-border significance, impacting regions from the German East Frisian Islands and Heligoland to the Danish and Dutch coasts. “The issue extends globally, as coastal communities worldwide are experiencing the impacts of climate change and human activity.

“While there are risks, there are also opportunities that need to be addressed. One pressing question is how publishers can connect with and meet the needs of these communities, and in Germany, the Future North Sea project is attempting to explore these possibilities.”

Future North Sea is a collaborative project involving Nordsee-Zeitung, Ostfriesen-Zeitung, and the DRIVE data initiative. The programme has expanded to include a partnership with Dagblad van het Noorden, a Dutch daily newspaper and a neighbour to Ostfriesen-Zeitung. Together, they are laying the groundwork for a cross-border and bilingual exchange of information. With this collaborative foundation established, the project’s approach to journalism plays a critical role in addressing regional challenges.

Fleischmann says the project team is convinced that constructive journalism can effectively address challenges, engage communities, and foster positive change. Data analyses by DRIVE support this belief, indicating that readers have a strong preference for inspiring, positive, and solution-oriented stories. “Despite this preference, such stories remain significantly underrepresented on regional news platforms,” she says.

The project stories showcase people and projects that have achieved something exceptional, fostering regional pride and inspiring others. “More than capturing transient attention, these narratives encourage people to think differently and ask, ‘What can I do to make things better’.

“As these inspiring stories begin to shape community perspectives, a significant shift is also required in the role of local journalists.”

For the editorial teams of Nordsee-Zeitung and Ostfriesen-Zeitung, embracing a new approach signifies a substantial shift. Reporters are now tasked not only with reporting on problems but also with presenting solutions. This transition requires time and a significant reimagining of the journalist’s role. Moving forward, they will be more attuned to the needs of their readers, a change that will be evident in their daily work.

Fleischmann says anyone writing about the North Sea’s future must involve those most impacted by its changes. “In the Future North Sea project, this group includes 15 to 16-year-olds living on the East Frisian Islands who are experiencing the effects of climate change firsthand.

“Collaborating with journalists from Ostfriesen-Zeitung, these students are crafting their favourite digital formats – short videos and podcasts – which will be showcased across the media company’s social media platforms and digital channels.

“This co-creative process not only enriches the content but also provides journalists with insights into the needs and perspectives of the younger generation, which they then integrate into their regular reporting.”

A key feature of the project has been a one-day Newscamp Coast event in September. Journalists from the associated publishing houses and DRIVE came together with local students to discuss the ongoing changes to the North Sea coast and their impact on daily life.

The theme, ‘How will we live on the coast in 2040’ explored young participants engaging with climate experts to explore future developments. Together, students and journalists created videos and reports for publication.

“This direct interaction fosters collaborative approaches to problem-solving and enhances the younger generation’s appreciation of the importance of local news,” she says.

The new cross-publisher collaboration and its constructive focus are proving to be highly successful, with publishers experiencing benefits on several levels:

-greater efficiency, allowing for the production of more stories in less time;

-access to more experts across different editorial teams enriches the content;

-diverse viewpoints provide a deeper understanding of the needs of young audiences;

-extended engagement, as ‘Future North Sea’ content engages audiences up to six times longer than typical articles; and

-an expanding community that now exceeds 100,000 users.

“As the North Sea coast undergoes significant changes, the collaboration between publishers and the application of constructive journalism are essential, not optional.

“The local populace faces numerous challenges which necessitate an informed and engaged community. Projects like Future North Sea demonstrate that journalism does more than just address current issues; it actively motivates readers to participate in shaping a better future for their region and beyond.”