More and more people turn their backs on traditional news reporting, a trend most recently confirmed this week in the latest Digital News Report from Reuter’s Institute at Oxford University on the global news consumer. This is not just due to a lack of trust – the primary driver for news avoidance is a perception that news reporting is depressing, focusing on the negative and stories filled with conflict.

Committed to battling this trend and changing the global news culture within five years, Constructive Institute now launches the Constructive News Lab. Located next to the Institute’s offices at Aarhus University, the lab will focus on research into the impact of news and on innovation on new, constructive media concepts and approaches. 

Through a donation of 1.5 million DKK, the Salling Foundations support the Constructive News Lab for a one year pilot period.

“The Salling Foundations support projects and initiatives that create new insights and knowledge to the benefit of the individual and society as a whole. Trustworthy information is a basis for our democracies, and  as such we find it natural to support the initiative from the Constructive Institute, which has already put Aarhus at the center of a more nuanced and constructive approach to news reporting,” says Chairman of Købmand Herman Sallings Fond, Jens Bjerg Sørensen.

CEO of Constructive Institute, Ulrik Haagerup, is enthusiastic about the new opportunities for both research in cooperation with the university as well as innovation in constructive journalism approaches.

“We are proud to further make Aarhus and the city university the global center for new ideas and editorial constructive approaches which can enhance the growing global change of news – not only in Denmark but also internationally.” 

The donation was given by Købmand Herman Sallings Fond, one of the two Salling Foundations. 

Facts: 

Constructive Institute has received contributions from TrygFonden, Bestseller, RealDania, Nordeafonden, Politiken Foundation, Aarhus Stiftstidendes Fond, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Google News Initiative and Helsingin Samomat Foundation.

For more information:

Constructive Institute, Ulrik Haagerup: +4560138600

www.constructiveinstitute.org