How can solutions journalism help newsrooms build stronger, more meaningful bonds with the communities they serve? In this episode of The Upward Spiral, we head to Lisbon to explore how Mensagem de Lisboa, a hyperlocal digital newsroom, is putting solutions journalism into practice through live reporting, community events, and deep listening.

We’re joined by founder and editor Catarina Carvalho, whose newsroom blends rigorous reporting with live journalism, neighborhood conversations, and deep listening. Catarina shares what it means to do “community-first” journalism on a small scale, how participation shapes editorial choices, and why being embedded in a city can build trust in ways large newsrooms often struggle to achieve. 

🎙️ Tune in to hear how journalism can sit right in the middle of the street—and why that’s exactly where it belongs.

Show notes:

Follow Mensagem de Lisboa here: https://amensagem.pt/