"The Damning Contrasts"

In the past, we've talked about using "positive deviants" — outliers in data showing improvement or success — to inspire solutions reporting. But now, thanks to Rowan Philp at the Global Investigative Journalism Network, there's a new term for that: the damning contrasts.

In a piece published last month, Philp explored this technique as a tool for making your investigative reporting even sharper. Think about it: When politicians claim something is impossible to fix, what's more embarrassing than covering in detail where progress is actually happening? When prominent people take to ridiculing a place — calling a city "a hellhole," as a random example — covering the comment alone doesn't put the lie to it; covering what that place has accomplished can.

The full piece is an instant SoJo classic, covering examples and tips for how to do this work alongside a thorough argument for why one should. Add in a reminder about the importance of bringing people into the news who currently feel alienated, and you get a tantalizing conclusion: Do enough thoughtful solutions reporting while others don't, and you might illustrate a damning contrast of your own.