Our Approach to Journalism

Overstory is an independent, online newsroom that centers Hawai‘i residents’ needs, redistributes the power of knowledge and encourages civil discourse.

We apply a systemic, solutions-oriented lens to our in-depth reporting. We don’t want to just cover events or conflicts. Instead, we want to understand why things are the way they are and untangle the intersections between the patterns, systems and assumptions that shape Hawai‘i’s major challenges—and uncover potential ways forward.

Our goal is to provide useful, accessible information in service of those impacted by Hawai‘i’s challenges and those working to address them. We believe that journalism has a responsibility to foster better understanding and community connections. We want voices most impacted by Hawai‘i’s largest challenges and voices that have traditionally been left out of conversations to feel heard. We hope our reporting encourages you to consider new perspectives and reflect on our shared humanity as people who call Hawai‘i home. And we hope you feel inspired to have tough but civil conversations and get involved in your community.

Our journalism is in service of a more equitable and restorative Hawai‘i where:

• Native Hawaiians and kama‘āina can afford to stay and thrive here.
• ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i and Hawaiian culture are flourishing.
• Hawai‘i’s land, water and air are healthy and have meaningful, reciprocal relationships with the people who call these islands home, and Native Hawaiian stewardship practices are abundant.
• All residents have equitable access to privileges and opportunities.

Our commitments:

• Our journalism aims to be of service for Hawai‘i residents. All our decisions are made with the public’s interest in mind, and we will use community members’ questions, concerns and ideas as starting points for our articles as much as possible.
• Our word choice will be thoughtful and intentional, and our journalism will embrace facts, data, evidence, nuance and complexity.
• We aim to uplift voices and perspectives that have been historically or actively discriminated against or marginalized. We want voices most impacted by Hawai‘i’s largest challenges and voices that have traditionally been left out of conversations to feel heard.
• Our articles include Hawaiian diacritical marks, such as kahakō and ‘okina, and Hawaiian place names. We believe that journalism must do its part to help perpetuate ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i.
• We will be transparent about our funding sources and how we do our work. We will acknowledge if any mistakes are made and make our best effort to remedy them as needed.
• We aim to reflect Hawai‘i’s diversity through our staff and contributors. We want to foster the pipeline of Hawai‘i-raised and trained journalists. The best journalism grows from deep relationships, cultural understanding and genuine connection to the communities it serves. For too long, Hawai‘i’s shrinking journalism industry has caused many journalists to leave the islands to build their careers on the continent or exit the profession altogether. We want to help change that dynamic.

How we decide what to cover:

Our journalism takes a systems approach as we report on the challenges and solutions impacting Hawai‘i. The following are the types of stories we want to tell, and, in some cases, one story may be a combination of them:

• Explainers that contextualize local and relevant national news by digging into the nuanced historic and systemic intricacies surrounding them. Questions from readers, as well as our own journalists’ curiosity, guide these stories.
• Investigative stories that examine systemic flaws, abuses of power or other problems important to Hawai‘i residents.
• Stories that look at responses to a problem/challenge encountered by Hawai‘i communities. You can read more about how we practice solutions journalism here.
• Stories that focus on community-based individuals or groups who are working toward a more just, equitable or restorative Hawai‘i. These stories showcase efforts that are contributing to—or have serious potential to contribute to—systemic change in the Islands, whether that’s through policy, practice, commonly held beliefs, collective values, etc. These stories do not hero worship and are just as rigorously reported as our other stories.

We strive to incorporate an equity angle in our stories. We want to know how problems and responses are impacting communities that have been historically or actively discriminated against or marginalized—and we always do our best to include these voices. We also aim to include and, when applicable, center neighbor island communities and individuals in our stories. We recognize that there’s a lot to be learned from all communities.

We do not publish:

• Breaking news, “the news,” or stories that only focus on an event that happened
• Stories solely sourced from press releases
• Stories without a connection to Hawai‘i or its residents
• Political endorsements