15 journalists joined our Master Class in Constructive Journalism

How can we gain new energy and hope for the future of democracy and journalism? And which tools and formats can we use to attract a larger audience?

In January 2025 Constructive Institute invited reporters and editors from Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands to join an exclusive international Master Class on inspirational, nuanced and engaging reporting.

During the three days program they learned all about the why, what and how of the latest global media trend, constructive journalism, and met with some of the leading newsrooms in implementing constructive journalism.

See the program below and contact Head of Fellowship Program, Orla Borg, at ob@constructiveinstitute.org if you are interested in joining one of our next Master Classes in autumn 2025 or spring 2026.

“I’ve used the last days to recover from all the impressions of last week. It has really been a great masterclass. I have collected so much information, both theoretical as practical, much more than I had expected. It has given me lots of inspiration and energy. And I’ve felt very welcome at Constructive Institute.”

Maarten Reith, Editor at De Gelderlander

MASTER CLASS PROGRAM

Monday 27th of January:

9.00: Registration and coffee.

9.15: Welcome and presentation of the participants in the Master Class.

9.45: Why is it necessary to rethink journalism?

The challenges we face in journalism when it comes to lack of trust in the media, news avoidance, endangered business models and increasing competition for people’s attention. In what ways could the concept of constructive journalism be relevant in the renewal of our profession as journalists and editors?

By Ulrik Haagerup, author of the book “Constructive News”, former news director of Danish Broadcasting Corporation, founder and CEO of Constructive Institute.

10: 45: Coffee break.

11.00: So what is constructive journalism actually? Is it not merely good classical well documented journalism? If so, why doesn’t everybody do constructive journalism? By Ulrik Haagerup.

12.30: Lunch. Go to Royal Library Canteen, pick up lunch and bring it back to The Lounge of CI.

13.30: How do you yourself see constructive journalism? Bring your own example of a story that you consider to be constructive. Either one you did yourself or one from someone else in your news room.

14.30: Coffee break

14.45: The Three Pillars of Constructive Journalism as developed at Constructive Institute. By Orla Borg, former investigative journalist at the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, now head of the Fellowship Program at Constructive Institute.

16.00: Workshop: Using The Three Pillars on today’s news stories. In pairs picking a current news story from your own news room that is not treated constructively but that could be.

16.30: Presenting examples from group work. How could the issues from the current news flow get a constructive element?

18.30: Dinner at restaurant ET, Mindegade 8, Aarhus, courtesy of Constructive Institute.

Tuesday 28th of January

8.25: Meet at the parking lot outside Constructive Institute, Bartholins Allé 16. In this study visit 10 fellows from Constructive Institute will join us.

9.30: Transportation by bus to Midtjyllands Avis, Papirfabrikken 18, Silkeborg.

9.30: How do you make sure that you actually do journalism that is relevant to your audience? In the city of Silkeborg, the newspaper Midtjyllands Avis changed from traditional journalism to constructive journalism. How did they do it, how did they aim to get closer to their audience and how did it work out?

By editor in chief, Hans Krabbe, and news editor, Brian Holst, Midtjyllands Avis.

12.00: Lunch at Midtjyllands Avis.

13.00: Return by bus to Aarhus and Constructive Institute.

14.00: Wrap up of the experience at Midtjyllands Avis

14.30: Changing the journalistic mind set of a national public service news organization. How has the public broadcasting corporation of NRK in Norway introduced constructive journalism in the daily news flow?

By editor at NRK, Ingrid Tinmannsvik. Online via Zoom.

15.45: Coffee break.

16.00: How to detect constructive news in a news media. Presentation of Constructive News Mirror, a tool that has been developed at Constructive Institute.

By lead data scientist at Constructive Institute, Gustav Aarup Lauridsen

17.00: Wrap up of the day. Evening at your own disposal.

Wednesday 29th of January

07.25: Meet at the parking lot outside Constructive Institute, Bartholins Allé 16. In this study visit 10 fellows from Constructive Institute will join us.

07.30: Transportation by bus to TV2 Fyn, Olfert Fischersvej 31, 5220 Odense

9.30: Arrival at TV2 Fyn. Walk through the newsroom to The Studio.

9.45: Welcome and round of presentation.

9.55: What did TV2 Fyn do to introduce constructive journalism in the newsroom? The road map to constructive journalism – with obstacles and short cuts.

By Constructive editor, Kristian Lund Jørgensen, reporter Rikke Mathiassen and editor Kamilla Gamborg.

11.30: Lunch

12.15: Covering politics constructively. How did TV2 Fyn go about covering politics during the last local elections involving the citizens of the 10 municipalities of the island of Fyn.

By societal editor Jakob Risbro.

13.30: Final wrap up of Master Class. What are you going to do when you get back home to your newsroom?

14.00: Thank you and see you!

14.05: By bus back to Aarhus for those who are going there. For others individual transportation to airports or train stations. To be planned individually.

16.00: Back in Aarhus.