Reporting on contentious issues in rural America: An informal discussion on what journalists should consider

Nicholas Jacobs, Sarah Melotte, Natalia Alamdari

After an election year marked by national chatter about what rural Americans believe and do, the Rural Journalism Collective is offering an informal panel conversation about how rural towns manage conflict and what journalists should consider as they report on contentious issues within their community. The event is on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2 p.m. E.T. Register here.

The panel discussion features:

• Nicholas Jacobs, an assistant professor of government at Colby College and an expert on American politics and policymaking, with a focus on the rural-urban divide, federalism, and developments in the American party system.

• Sarah Melotte, a staff writer at The Daily Yonder, an independent newsroom about rural America. Mellotte has a master’s degree in applied geography and geospatial science. She analyzes data, and plans and creates most of The Daily Yonder’s data reporting maps and graphics.

• Natalia Alamdari, a greater Nebraska reporter for the Flatwater Free Press, where she covers everything from chaos on rural village boards to shady international nonprofits to election misinformation efforts straight from the heartland. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia and a native Texan.