Like many older metropolitan newspapers, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution had a problem. After years of looking for readers in the suburbs, the paper found that its majority white audience failed to reflect the true diversity of Atlanta.

Due to its role in civil rights history and the contributions of local artists, entertainers, and musicians, the city has become a center for Black culture. The Journal-Constitution needed to find a way to engage more Black readers.

Najja Parker, newsletter coach at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, talks about a report she wrote for the Better News about how the Journal Constitution grew engagement with Black audiences through the Unapologetically ATL newsletter. Read the report.

The Better News podcast is a partnership between It’s All Journalism and the American Press Institute to a) showcase innovative/experimental ideas that emerge from the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and b) share replicable strategies and tactics that benefit the news industry as a whole. Sign up for the Better News newsletter to receive news about the latest resources, case studies, and insights. For more news about the It’s All Journalism podcast and future episodes of Better News, sign up for the weekly IAJ newsletter.