The Dutch current affairs program EenVandaag has taken significant steps to enhance its journalistic practices by establishing a dedicated interaction team. This initiative aims to foster audience engagement and build trust, creating a more dynamic relationship between journalists and the public. The team was formed following the launch of a successful audience engagement project in autumn 2022, which laid the groundwork for this innovative approach.
From Concept to Reality
In autumn 2022, EenVandaag introduced “EenVandaag Asks,” an initiative inviting viewers to submit questions on current topics. This effort aimed not just to engage the audience but to clarify misconceptions and identify gaps in understanding. The response was overwhelmingly positive, revealing that many individuals are eager to ask questions when encouraged. This realization prompted the newsroom to rethink how it interacts with its audience, ultimately leading to the creation of a permanent interaction team.
By spring 2023, the proposal for this team was approved, and resources were allocated. The new team was tasked with a clear mandate: to listen to the audience daily, respond to inquiries, and translate public input into actionable editorial insights. Interaction was redefined as a core element of the newsroom rather than an ancillary activity.
The Role of Chat in Interaction
Central to EenVandaag‘s interaction strategy is the implementation of a chat feature. This continuous chat environment, created using existing software, is integrated into the program’s website, app, and WhatsApp. Since May 2023, the chat has been available on weekdays from 10:00 to 20:00, allowing journalists to engage with viewers, particularly during live broadcasts.
This chat serves multiple journalistic purposes. It provides real-time feedback on audience comprehension, highlights prevalent questions, and surfaces community concerns as stories develop. Unlike traditional surveys, the chat fosters a conversational atmosphere that captures immediate reactions and sentiments.
Importantly, the chat is not seen as a customer service tool but as a vital source of editorial material. Messages are categorized and interpreted to identify information needs and blind spots, allowing the team to respond more effectively to public concerns.
To maximize the value of audience interaction, the team processes chat input systematically. Rather than forwarding individual messages as anecdotes, they cluster the input thematically and translate it into insights that inform editorial decisions. This analysis helps answer crucial questions such as which topics require additional explanation or which perspectives are missing from dominant narratives.
Building Trust and Transparency
A key principle emphasized in EenVandaag‘s approach is visibility. Audiences need to understand how their contributions are utilized. Not every question leads to a story, but the newsroom is committed to explaining editorial choices based on audience input. This transparency is achieved through various methods, including explicitly stating when a story is informed by audience questions and summarizing recurring themes from the chat.
As a result of this structured approach to interaction, the journalism practised at EenVandaag has evolved. Editors have become more precise in their explanations, recognizing that repeated questions often indicate areas needing clarification. The process of collecting audience feedback has made editorial work more transparent, allowing viewers to appreciate the complexities of journalistic decision-making.
To ensure that these practices are not reliant on individual team members, EenVandaag documented its approach in a comprehensive handbook titled Interactive Journalism – The Voice of Everyone. This resource outlines principles, organizational strategies, and potential pitfalls while highlighting chat as an essential listening tool.
Implications for Journalism
The experience at EenVandaag offers valuable lessons for newsrooms worldwide. It demonstrates that effective interaction begins with listening rather than simply publishing content. The chat function proves most beneficial as an editorial tool, prioritizing audience engagement over promotional efforts. Ultimately, consistency in interaction practices is more impactful than the scale of engagement.
In a landscape marked by declining trust and news avoidance, EenVandaag‘s initiative illustrates a realistic pathway for reconnecting journalism with the communities it serves. By prioritizing listening and transparency, the program is not only enhancing its journalistic integrity but also fostering a deeper trust with its audience.
