"Impact editor" is a relatively new job, and it's already changing

"not just to deliver the story to the families, but also to use our position and connections to benefit the families,"

"They're not just providing us their stories, but they're also benefiting from the journalism. This is an example of how an investigation can live beyond what is published."

Bashar al-Assad's regime abducted 300 Syrian children from their families and placed them in orphanages to pressure parents into cooperation, with at least 3,700 children still missing. Victims' families, psychologists, attorneys, and NGO representatives were identified and connected to support networks, including a WhatsApp group created to coordinate assistance and resources. Lighthouse Reports and partner newsrooms coordinated outreach and source connection to help families access psychological, legal, and humanitarian support. Impact editors Miriam Wells, Janine Bressmer, Daisy Okoti, and Tessa Pang focus on ensuring journalism produces meaningful change through audience strategy, community engagement, product management, and cross-department coordination. Newsrooms vary on how to define and measure impact, and journalists often equate impact with policy change, accountability, or tangible protections for communities.

Read at Nieman Lab