Why People Participate in Journalism
Understanding what motivates readers to contribute, not just consume.
The short answer
People don’t participate because you asked.
They participate because it matters to them.
Because they feel heard.
Because they want to help.
Because the care about the topic.
Because they see themselves in the story.
Because they feel part of something.
Participation is emotional, not mechanical.
And that’s why some call-outs flood with responses… while others get silence.
What do we mean by participation?
In journalism, participation means readers actively contributing to coverage.
Not just reading.
Not just liking.
Not just commenting.
But sharing something of their own:
a photo
an experience
a tip
an opinion
a story
a piece of lived reality
It’s the difference between observing journalism and being part of it.
Why “just asking” doesn’t work
Every newsroom has tried this at some point:
“Send us your thoughts.”
And then wondered why nothing came in.
Because participation isn’t automatic.
It’s not a feature you switch on.
It’s a human behaviour.
And human behaviour needs a reason.
The clearer and more meaningful that reason is, the higher the response.
The vaguer the ask, the lower the participation.
What we consistently see motivate people
Across the publishers we work with, a few patterns show up again and again.
Different audiences.
Different countries.
Different topics.
Same motivations.
Not a formal framework, just observations from running hundreds of call-outs.
1. People want to be heard
Sometimes the motivation is simple:
“I want my experience represented.”
Especially on local or personal stories.
When coverage reflects real lives, people step forward.
Prompts like:
“Have you ever done this…”
“How has this affected you?”
“Tell us your experience”
“What’s it like where you live?”
consistently drive strong responses.
Because people want their voice to count.
2. People want to help others
This one surprises teams the most.
Many contributors aren’t doing it for attention.
They’re doing it to be useful.
To share advice.
To warn others.
To support their community.
Things like:
cost-of-living tips
health experiences
local disruptions
practical knowledge
These often generate thoughtful, generous responses.
Participation feels purposeful.
3. People want recognition
Let’s be honest, sometimes it’s simpler.
People like seeing their name, photo, or story published. You can be on social media everyday, but you can’t always be seen in a news brand.
There’s a small moment of pride in:
“That’s mine.”
Featuring contributors clearly and visibly makes a big difference. Especially in print.
When readers know they might be highlighted, they’re far more likely to take part.
Recognition fuels repeat behaviour.
4. People want to belong
Participation can also be social.
It’s about feeling part of a shared moment.
Especially around:
sports
weather
cultural events
seasonal traditions
local celebrations
Prompts like:
“Show us your matchday rituals”
“Share your snow day photos”
“Share your halloween costumes”
“Share your experiences of getting your exam results”
work because they say:
“We’re all experiencing this together.”
It creates community, not just content. It also does it in a format that they aren’t getting on social media.
5. Sometimes it’s just fun
Not every call-out needs deep meaning.
Sometimes participation works because it’s light, playful, or creative.
Competitions.
Photo challenges.
Predictions.
Small games.
Low stakes. Easy to join.
Fun lowers friction, and lower friction increases response. It also helps build authentic relationships without putting too much pressure on the audience.
What this means for newsrooms
The takeaway isn’t “try harder.”
It’s “design smarter.”
Instead of asking:
How do we get more responses?
Ask:
Why would someone bother responding at all?
If the answer isn’t obvious to you, it won’t be obvious to them either.
The most successful call-outs usually have:
one clear question
one clear purpose
one obvious benefit to the reader
Clarity beats cleverness every time.
A simple rule of thumb
Weak:
Upload your photos
Stronger:
Show us how the storm looks where you live, we’ll feature reader photos tonight
The second explains:
what to share
why
what happens next
Participation rises immediately.
Participation isn’t a tactic, it’s a relationship
This is the bigger shift.
When readers contribute regularly, something changes.
They stop feeling like visitors.
They start feeling like part of the publication.
That’s where loyalty comes from.
Not from pushing more content.
But from inviting people in.
It’s the Ikea Effect, when you feel like you have helped build something, you subconsciously give it more value.
Where Contribly fits in
At Contribly, we help newsrooms turn these moments of participation into repeatable workflows, through structured Reader Call-outs that make contributing easy and manageable at scale.
Because once you understand why people participate, the next step is simply making it effortless to do so.
Key takeaway
People don’t participate because you asked.
They participate because they feel something.
Heard. Helpful. Recognised. Included. Entertained. Challenged.
Design for those motivations, and participation follows naturally.
FAQs
Do all call-outs need an emotional hook?
Not always, but they do need a clear reason to care and a clear purpose.
Is this different for local vs national publishers?
The motivations are similar, local audiences often feel an even stronger sense of belonging and local newsrooms can really tap into that motivation.
Do incentives matter?
Sometimes. But purpose and relevance usually matter more than prizes.
How often should we run participatory formats?
Consistency builds habit. Small, regular prompts typically outperform big one-off campaigns. As long as it’s clearly communicated, daily/weekly or monthly, depending on your brand.