What is the Second Draft Project?

The Second Draft Project

Former president and publisher of the Washington Post, Philip L. Graham, once described journalism as the first draft of history. For the most marginalized members of our society, however, history has shown that this first draft is at best incomplete. At worst, it’s inaccurate, and sometimes, it can even be harmful. Enter the Second Draft Project: a chance for those at the center of our nation’s most pivotal moments in social justice to highlight where the media fell short and offer a fresh testimony. Using ethical AI technology, the Second Draft adopts a reparative approach to journalism and centers the storytellers whose testimonies are often overlooked. In this introductory episode, you’ll learn more about the project, the theories that underpin it, how it leverages immersive technology, what to expect from the first season of the podcast, and much more! What is the Second Draft Project? You’ll have to tune in to find out.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Reparative journalism and what the Second Draft Project teaches students.
• The conscious and unconscious biases that influence news coverage.
• Insight into the Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab at USC Annenberg.
• Mobile journalism and significant Black media makers throughout history.
• Two journalism theories that underpin and support the work of the Second Draft Project.
• How the Second Draft uses AI technology to create “interactive interviews.”
• Ways that students have explored Malcolm X’s portrayal in mainstream media.
• Leveraging immersive technology through photogrammetry and augmented reality.
• What to expect from the upcoming season of the Second Draft Project Podcast.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir

‘The year journalism starts paying reparations’

Reporting Inequality: Tools and Methods for Covering Race and Ethnicity