attn: international expansion-minded publications: be like Paul

Flashback to a few weeks ago when we featured National Geographic’s “Out of Eden Walk” (aka journalism’s most epic walk & talk) project, in which writer Paul Salopek has been literally hiking around the world following the casual human migration & civilization beat, as one does.

The project not only makes for a v. cool reading list, but it’s also an excellent example of thinking about global storytelling that any digital media outlet worth its international expansion salt (espesh lookin’ at you, Employerlantic, BuzzFeed, and NYT) should be paying attention to.

That is, if you’re going to send a white dude (/your western media sensibility) around the world to tell stories about complex cultures & languages, it makes sense to think beyond what’s interesting to that home audience. Case in point: for Salopek’s walk, NatGeo is introducing a tool for translators to share the project in 26 languages (NiemanLab piece here).

Nifty, but also a conscientious decision. ‘Cause if you’re telling stories about multinational, multiethnic communities, maaaaaaybe assume those stories will be interesting to non-English readers, too?

I’ll leave you with this ace quote from Salopek, from the NiemanLab Q&A:

“The walk is global. Journalism covers a polyglot world. So as a matter of philosophy, it fits with our mission to share the storytelling in the regional languages that I’m walking through. It’s a question of access, but it also keeps us grounded. As any foreign correspondent knows, letting the people you’re writing about read what you’re writing about them is the best tool for ensuring reportorial honesty.”

Go Paul go!!! Dunno about you, but I’m rooting for this dude harder than four SEC football seasons’ worth of rabid fandom combined.

Like Deez Links? Forward to your western media sensibility