Journalism is very factual, creativity is all about imagination. Journalism requires critical thinking, but to find really new ideas journalists should postpone their judgement. How can we make them m...
Karel van den Berg
‘News might start with an event, journalism always starts with an idea.’ That’s why Dutch newspaper and television journalist Karel van den Berg developed his method for journalistic ideation. He interviewed 150 colleagues in the Netherlands, Belgium and Great Britain and observed 50 editorial meetings at all kinds of media. Based on his findings, study and working experience, he wrote a handbook (English translation in progress: Pattern Breaking News - handbook for journalistic ideation).
Karel now spends most of his working days training (aspiring) journalists and editorial staff in creative thinking and communication skills that are applicable and acceptable in this intellectual trade. He has already trained over 1500 colleagues and students working for all kinds of media, home and abroad. He also works as a consultant for journalistic organizations on creative processes in newsrooms.
Karel is now working on his second handbook, Checkbook Journalism - 99 + 1 questions you should answer yourself, expected early 2015. With this book Karel challenges his (future) colleagues on all thinking skills that are vital to journalistic excellence: creativity, innovation an journalistic branding, of course, as well as practical philosophy (the how and why of journalism, ethics, reason & logic) and applied psychology (cognition, observation & verification). With challenging questions, case studies, brief explanations and definitions, quotes of inspiring thinkers and checklists that trigger journalistic self-reflection.