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What Counts as Live Journalism?

Live journalism is an evolving practice that brings verified reporting to the stage, transforming journalism into a shared, in-person experience. To help maintain clarity and rigour on this map, we use a simple set of criteria and types of live journalism.

• The Criteria: what qualifies as Live Journalism?

These are the boundaries that help us answer the question: “Is it live journalism at all?”

A practice qualifies as live journalism if:
1. It is based on verified journalistic reporting.
It must originate from factual, evidence-based journalism, not fiction, advocacy, or creative interpretation.

2. It is performed live, with journalists present.
The journalistic act itself is experienced in real time, creating co-presence between storyteller and audience.

3. It intentionally creates an audience relationship and/or participation.
The audience is not passive: their presence, emotion, or engagement are integral to how the story is received.

These criteria help keep the map rigorous and exclude practices that, while valuable, are not live journalism. Some live events, such as podcast recordings, panel discussions, or town halls, may involve journalists and audiences, but they are not live journalism. In these formats, the journalist facilitates or debates; they don’t present their own reporting as a performed story. In live journalism, the performance itself becomes the journalistic act. 

That said, this map is a beta, and we’re open to rethinking our initial ideas. If you have another interpretation, or think we’re missing something, we’d love to hear from you.  

This is still a beta exploration: if you think something new should count, tell us! 

Other formats that fall outside this definition include fictional theatre, advocacy events, or promotional storytelling.

• The types of live journalism (the fancy word for this is taxonomy) 

Once a practice meets the three criteria, it can be positioned on the map according to its form and function by answering the question: “What type of live journalism is it?”

• High-Production / Performance → theatre-style, staged, or curated storytelling events (e.g. Black Box).
• Spoken / Slam → intimate, low-production storytelling, often humorous or personal (e.g. Reporter Slam).
• Community / Participatory → co-created, often local or civic, blending journalism with public dialogue (e.g. Mensagem de Lisboa, Resonate Productions).
• Dialogue / Forum → structured live debates or moderated conversations (usually following or accompanying a performance) grounded in journalistic reporting (e.g. De Balie).

These categories are not fixed, they often overlap, and many initiatives blend multiple formats or evolve over time.

Live journalism continues to evolve across formats and cultures, from performance to participation, from stage to street. These criteria and categories are a starting point for shared understanding, and will adapt as new forms emerge and this research evolves.