There are many ways that creators provide value in the information economy: bringing stories to the forefront, providing nuance and context, and localizing national stories, to name a few. One of the things that creators do particularly well is showing how a policy, recommendation, or political narrative plays out for real people in real scenarios.

I’m reading The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy by Eunji Kim right now. She makes an important note about entertainment media that applies to content creators.

Information-focused creators are an important vehicle for sharing news with audiences who don’t consume mainstream media, and they also play a crucial role in shaping the way that people understand and implement that information or news.

Kim’s use of the word “distort” in the paragraph above tends to have negative connotations, as in sharing information that is not completely accurate. We’ve definitely seen this happen with accidental misinformation spread or purposeful disinformation campaigns. But I also think about this in more of a two-way street between mainstream media and creators. Creators and their communities can provide a key point of view in how news stories feel in their lives: Do they ring true for themselves and their loved ones? Are there “yes, and” statements that need to be included in the reporting?

News Creator Corps is working with several news organizations as pilot publishing partners in our first Trusted Creator fellowship program, and we’re excited to share those experiments with you soon. As we continue to “learn out loud” and write about our experiences, we hope to be able to share a variety of ways that publishers like mainstream media organizations, nonprofits, and PR firms can work with accuracy-focused creators in meaningful, impactful ways.

Our first IRL workshop, which is in Philadelphia on December 3, is now sold out. (!)

I’m thrilled to announce our first virtual masterclass open to the public:

How Comedy Helps Audiences Build Deeper Understanding of the NewsDecember 10 at 1 p.m. ET

Late night TV has delivered news through comedy for decades, and this workshop, led by Emmy-winning Josh Burstein, reveals how basic improv and standup tactics can be integrated into anyone’s writing or performing style. In this highly interactive workshop, participants will leave with a strong understanding of where comedy can be employed differently with monologues, man on the street videos, explainers, and sketches. This class is designed for content creators, journalists, community messengers, and anyone providing information to a community. Participants are encouraged to come with a concept or news story that could be workshopped live with Josh and fellow attendees.

Grab your tickets before they sell out. (This is a donation-based event. You can give as little as $1 to secure your spot.)

A full list of our upcoming events is here. Many sessions to come!

Frequent exposure to social media misinformation can make it even more difficult to discern what’s real and what’s fake online.

Being a content creator takes more than just creativity, and traditional corporate skills can translate seamlessly into creator success.

We know it’s a tough time to be asking for money. If you have the means to donate, we’d love for your support so we can continue investing in independent creators and community messengers. We’re gearing up to expand our programming to high school and college students, community gathering spots like farmers markets, newsrooms, and more.

You can also support our mission by following us on LinkedIn, amplifying our posts, and connecting us to potential partners and funders.

It’s hard to believe that our first fellowship class is more than halfway done. We’re publishing a new series on our website so you can get to know the incredible work our fellows are doing in their corners of the internet. A few of the first pieces: