Civic engagement beyond the headlines: The Macon Melody hosts political debate

When a seat opened on the Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners,

The Macon Melody didn't just cover the race. They created a space for the community to gather and learn about the candidates themselves.

In February, The Melody hosted a public debate for the six candidates vying to fill the vacant District 5 commission seat – a district that Executive Editor Joshua Wilson describes as "vast" in its geography, history and population mix. The idea came from Senior Reporter Laura Corley, who had been hearing the same thing multiple times from residents: People wanted a forum to compare the candidates side by side. With barely two weeks to pull it off, Corley got the green light, and the team got to work.

Candidates for the District 5 seat of Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners participate in a public debate held by The Macon Melody.

They secured a venue in the heart of the district – the gymnasium at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in Macon – and tapped Charles Richardson, the retired opinion page editor of The Macon Telegraph, to moderate. Questions were sourced directly from the community as Melody staff gathered input from District 5 residents and civic leaders before the event. Candidates weren't told the questions in advance and were permitted just one note card each. The result was a tight, structured 60-minute debate that was substantive, spontaneous, and – by all accounts – refreshingly civil.

Nearly 100 people showed up on a Monday night for the forum.

"I kind of thought we might have 15 people," Wilson said. "We had 98, at least."

The event was part of ongoing efforts to build relationships and deepen community trust in the Melody, which is part of the Georgia Trust for Local News. The Melody's entire staff was on hand – shaking hands, helping people to their seats, setting up the venue. The goal was simple: Introduce the newsroom to the community and give Macon a place to gather.

The Melody didn't do it alone. Partners in the Reg Murphy Center for Collaborative Journalism at Mercer University helped with technology logistics and format guidance – a reminder that building a healthy local news ecosystem is, by design, a team effort.

The success of the event, demonstrated by six well-prepared candidates who clearly cared about their community and the nearly 100 engaged residents who showed up on a weeknight, proved a local newsroom can do more than tell stories.

"If they're not reading it in your newspaper, if they're not participating on your social media feed, go out to them and have these conversations,” Wilson said. 

For a nonprofit newsroom that's just over one and a half years old, that kind of community-centered journalism isn't a nice-to-have. It's the whole point.