A few weeks ago, I had dinner with a friend who leads a newsroom and is dealing with potential layoffs, ad declines, disgruntled staff, and her own burnout. She turned to me as we were walking out the door, and said, “Give me some hope that it’s not all doomed.”

I had a few things to say, specific things based on what I knew about her and where she worked. But I figured that more than a few of us out there are feeling the same way as this year turns to the next. So I turned to my brilliant colleagues at Poynter to help, with some thoughts about what gives them hope for the state of journalism in 2024.

Kristen Hare, Poynter faculty

I am hopeful about two things: The first is Press Forward (here’s my primer), the $500 million effort to bolster local journalism. The second is that our industry is looking at this effort critically. That includes the open letter, collaboratively published by a number of organizations, that calls for “an equitable distribution of resources and opportunities ensures that underrepresented voices are heard and elevated by journalists, leaders and publishers who know them best.”

One thing I can tell you after a decade as a media reporter is that journalists are a tough audience. That toughness can improve the work. In the case of Press Forward, it sure better.

Rick Edmonds, Poynter media business analyst

I would say that various sages have been predicting the imminent demise of most newspapers for decades. It hasn’t happened yet. And, of course, other sectors like public media and nonprofit news sites are growing. Even in the newspaper sector, plenty of journalists are working — 3,300 at Gannett alone. More withering is imminent, but there will still be a lot of opportunities for a lot of people for some time.

Tony Elkins, Poynter faculty

I’m hopeful for the spaces we create and the networks that help us thrive. I was fortunate to start my dream job this year with Poynter, and I would absolutely not have applied if it wasn’t for the people, colleagues and eventual friends I met in the virtual spaces we live in. There are so many different social media groups and Slack channels that I couldn’t begin to name them all. But, there are a few that are important to me.

First, I’m forever grateful to the creators of the Journalists of Color Slack group. I have repeatedly told several community members they are the sole reason I am doing the job I am now. They not only encouraged me to apply to Poynter, they saw something in me I didn’t see in myself and gave me the confidence to take this step. I’d love to give more praise and highlight some awesome friends, but like the rules say, “What happens in the JOCs Slack stays in the JOCs Slack.” If you’re a journalist of color and not in the group, you’re missing out and I hope you join us soon.

The News Product Alliance Slack is also a huge part of my life. As a founding member of the NPA, it’s exciting to see what Feli Carrique and her team have created. It’s been incredible to watch people who didn’t know what to call themselves a few years ago, build a community founded on helping other product thinkers find their place in the industry.

I’ll also shout the News Nerdery Slack. I’m not super active, but it’s full of really smart people asking all the right big journalism questions.

I know there are a lot more spaces out there and I hope you all find the spaces and people you need. Spaces like this give us the support, strength and encouragement it takes for all of us to make journalism better for ourselves and readers.

Fernanda Camarena, Poynter faculty

I am hopeful journalists can view their professions with a bit more optimism. It means showing up for ourselves and our team with acts of resiliency, belief and support. Today’s media landscape is grim — layoffs, budget cuts, relocation and burnout, plus the fact that audiences are more skeptical of us than ever before. If a society views journalists — and by extension, journalism — as irrelevant, well, we really are in for some tough times.

But it’s time to renew our vows. We’re in it for the good times and the bad times. Leaders must provide tools for their teams to deal with all of this while demonstrating resilience, belief and support.

At the end of the day, journalism is a reflection of optimism in the world — a deep belief that there’s a chance our work can have an impact and create change. Now it’s time to carry that belief for ourselves.