Learning in long-form: Reporting on Barrie's toxic opioid crisis

How does community media carve out a niche in a community with established media? As a brand new community media organization, the past months have been stuffed with learning more about answers to that question. 

While programming schedules, membership policies and more have all been moving forward, we’ve dived into conversations with community members. 

After all, conversation is a cornerstone of any community. Those conversations have helped us establish our focus. And crafting ways to empower the conversation-havers, has been a great challenge in these physically-distanced days of COVID-19. 

One area we’ve focused on in the first months of BCM is the toxic opioid supply. It’s an issue that’s been covered often by local print and video news organizations -- so what could Barrie Community Media hope to add to the conversation? How could we contribute, shift the focus or raise new questions? 

The short answer? we’re still finding out. 

The long answer? We decided to start by talking to people and sharing their conversations in full. We’ve spoken to harm reduction coordinators, mental health advocates, addictions counselors, local politicians, downtown businesses, and many more. 

The most impactful conversations -- the ones shared most widely -- are always interviews that touch on the personal side of the crisis. 

 After all, it’s a health crisis that harms the person who dies from toxic opioids, but also the family and friends. And we've heard throughout the past months how this nation-wide crisis has left friends and family confused and angered by, they say, a lack of action on the part of politicians and health care systems. 

Sam Gillett, LJI Journalist for Barrie says, "It’s through long-form content that I, at least, learn the most. While news stories and even feature articles can share the tragic impact of the toxic supply crisis, conversations with family members, and learning alongside educators and harm reduction workers has provided a way for Barrie Community Media to add to Barrie’s coverage of the crisis. 

Without our platform, there are limited ways (especially in a pandemic) in which these community members can share their voices without being mediated by Twitter algorithms, or Facebook comments.

While our reach so far is small, we’re growing. And messages we get, retweets, or comments have helped reassure me we’re on the right path. Our content is resonating with the community. 

In a medium-sized -- and growing -- city, we’re hoping we can continue the momentum we’ve gathered so far. 

I’ve based my reporting on just that: momentum. Starting slowly -- learning, talking and building trust -- I feel like our reporting can gain the foundation to provide Barrie with really valuable, reflective content. 

Viewing every challenge, such as the Opioid crisis, as ongoing issues rather than stories to dip in and out of, has informed everything Barrie Community does so far."