What does it mean to "Cover Your Gap"?
Seventeen journalists at the Missouri School of Journalism spent a semester trying to understand economic inequality in the United States. Our goal was to better understand this form of inequality so we could help fellow reporters better cover this topic in our communities.
We decided to call the project "Cover Your Gap" because our focus isn't on just covering people and events, but in the widening gap between the haves and the have-nots as the middle class evaporates.
Economic inequality impacts every person in the U.S. and its effects reach into the areas of housing, education, healthcare and financial well-being. In the past 50 years, economic inequality has increased in this country, making it an issue that requires more coverage from newsrooms.
We researched how economic inequality developed historically in the U.S., reasons for its pervasiveness today and how people understand the topic currently. We also analyzed the kinds of coverage being done on this issue and the need for continued, deeper coverage in the future.
This website is the culmination of our research and interviews with journalists and the public. Contained within this site are resources, statistics and reporting tips designed to help your newsroom report more accurately on economic inequality. We’ve done the background work for you so you’ll be ready and motivated to report on this issue with confidence.
For an introduction into what you'll see on this site, watch the video below to see local journalists' responses to how they understand economic inequality.
We decided to call the project "Cover Your Gap" because our focus isn't on just covering people and events, but in the widening gap between the haves and the have-nots as the middle class evaporates.
Economic inequality impacts every person in the U.S. and its effects reach into the areas of housing, education, healthcare and financial well-being. In the past 50 years, economic inequality has increased in this country, making it an issue that requires more coverage from newsrooms.
We researched how economic inequality developed historically in the U.S., reasons for its pervasiveness today and how people understand the topic currently. We also analyzed the kinds of coverage being done on this issue and the need for continued, deeper coverage in the future.
This website is the culmination of our research and interviews with journalists and the public. Contained within this site are resources, statistics and reporting tips designed to help your newsroom report more accurately on economic inequality. We’ve done the background work for you so you’ll be ready and motivated to report on this issue with confidence.
For an introduction into what you'll see on this site, watch the video below to see local journalists' responses to how they understand economic inequality.