The Tennessean is committed to impact journalism: How we made a difference in 2023

Every single day, The Tennessean’s journalists strive to make a difference in our community.

This commitment is not new.

The first edition of The Tennessean was published 117 years ago, in 1907. And over all the decades since, our institution has served a critical function covering the most important — and often divisive — issues of the day. From the fight over prohibition to the very structure of our unified government to Nashville’s role in the Civil Rights Movement, The Tennessean has been here to deliver local news that matters.

Much has changed in the news business over the years. Of course, our product is no longer limited to the print edition. In fact, The Tennessean’s digital reach is surging, with readership increasing by nearly a third and eclipsing 3 million monthly unique views over the first eight months of 2023, according to media measurement and analytics firm ComScore. Those numbers led all media outlets in the Nashville market.

What has not changed is our mission to serve Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Whether than means digging into the long-term implications of our region’s explosive growth or an exclusive look inside the newest restaurant opening in your neighborhood, our team is here to help you understand and navigate life in fast-changing Nashville.

In 2023, there was no shortage of major news, with the devastating Covenant School shooting, the intense political fallout that followed with the Tennessee Three expulsion votes, a heated mayoral election and a deadly tornado that came calling in December.

Below are just a few examples of stories that made an impact on Nashville in the last year.

Covenant shooting reporting leads to gun scrutiny

In the wake of the Covenant School shooting in March, investigative reporter Kelly Puente began exploring how Tennessee’s background check system for gun purchases works and whether there are flaws in the system. Her exclusive story in May detailed how the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is working to clear a backlog of 230,000 case dispositions that have not yet been linked to criminal records in the background check system.

Puente wrote that the gap means some individuals could potentially have a criminal conviction that would disqualify them from buying a gun. But the case may not show up in a background check. The reason? Most courts use a vendor software system to report their information, but some still send case information through the mail, which can take longer.

In the wake of the story, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, vowed action. He is backing legislation to create a universal, statewide court records system. He has the funding and support to make it happen and is expected to push lawmakers to make the change when they return to work this week. Sexton has said the bill would help to address the thousands of court case dispositions that have yet to be entered into the state database used for prospective gun buyers.

A political firestorm ensues

When calls for gun control in the mass shooting's aftermath erupted into a fiery debate over expulsions of sitting members of the Tennessee General Assembly, The Tennessean's reporters and visual journalists gave the country a front-row seat.

And amid the chaos, statehouse beat writers Melissa Brown and Vivian Jones provided smart analysis and important context about how the episode, while energizing Democrats, would likely not diminish Republican dominance in the legislature or upcoming statewide races.

Shining a light on disparities facing Black farmers

For three consecutive years, The Tennessean's "Uneven Ground" series has shined a spotlight on the struggles of Black farmers in the United States.

In the past, news stories have explained how bureaucracies failed the farmers and explored the struggle for justice. But not much has been written about who the farmers are and why they keep at the work they do. Not much has been written about why their work matters to them and their communities. Our team set out to share those stories.

The first chapter of this project appeared in 2022. The second chapter – three stories about the challenges and opportunities climate change brings for Black farmers – went live in July. In chapter three, the team spoke with farmers who are applying for federal funds earmarked for those who were discriminated against by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Those stories published this month.

The series has brought readers positive stories, while showing why they matter. These were stories of adversity that never lost sight of the people behind the statistics. They conveyed a long history of injustice without letting it overshadow the vibrant community that still exists.

The series has been recognized with local, regional and national awards.

Convening mayoral debate series

Part of our mission is to convene discussions on topics important to the community.

To that end, The Tennessean organized The Nashville Mayoral Debates, the premier community engagement event of the 2023 municipal elections. We partnered with NewsChannel 5, the League of Women Voters of Nashville, Belmont University and American Baptist College. The two schools hosted a total of four debates between May and August.

The top-tier of the dozen candidates participated and a runoff debate in August featured the top two candidates in Freddie O'Connell (who eventually was elected mayor) and Alice Rolli.

The Tennessean's work began in September 2022 to secure partners. In addition to the debates, our engagement team sent questionnaires to 106 candidates for local elective office — mayor, vice mayor, and Metro Council.

The effort, led by opinion and engagement editor David Plazas, helped the community understand the issues and the candidates' positions.

And no reporter covered the race more closely than Tennessean Metro reporter Cassandra Stephenson.

A natural disaster strikes

Storms generating six tornadoes tore across Tennessee, initially killing six people and injuring scores more as night fell in Middle Tennessee on a Saturday evening in early December.

With five separate communities thrust into chaos on a weekend night, The Tennessean launched a full-scale reporting effort. More than two-dozen journalists joined the effort to bring the region real-time information about the looming threat of the weather and the devastation it wrought.

In the days that followed, the team delivered unparalleled coverage of the aftermath, including information about how citizens can help, profiles of the victims and questions about steps that could be taken to lessen future disasters.

All of these stories, and thousands more, were reported, written and photographed by journalists who call Middle Tennessee home. Many of our own staff have lived through the devastation of tornadoes themselves in the past and lived close to the path of the current storms and took shelter. Just like The Tennessean has been for over a century, we remain resolved to delivering the news you need in the year ahead.

To our subscribers: Thank you. If you don't yet subscribe to The Tennessean, please consider a New Year's resolution to support local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: The Tennessean is committed to impact journalism: 2023 was no exception