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College Media – College Media Review

Category: College Media

Research (Vol. 60): Starting a conversation

Starting a conversation: An exploration of the state of student media websites at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Abstract

Student media at HBCUs have declined precipitously since 2000 yet provide a significant look at issues meaningful to the Black communities they represent and cover. This study uses content analysis of existing student media websites to assess the state of student media at HBCUs. It finds several notable trends. Frequency of content updates varies, yet student-run news websites are not typically updated daily and are likely updated only when breaking news occurs or when students have new content to post. Stories covering student government or administration were uncommon, and nearly half of the websites did not offer any form of advertising.  Medium-sized HBCUs were more likely to have active social media compared to smaller-sized HBCUs, and public HBCUs were more likely to have some form of a media independence statement on their website. These descriptive data provide a starting point for conversations about an important media source and training ground for future Black journalists.

Keywords: HBCU, student media, news websites, content analysis

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Research (Vol. 60): Reaching new audiences

Reaching New Audiences: Student News Organizations’ Spanish-language Coverage

Abstract

U.S. universities are increasingly adding programs related to Spanish-language media. Such programs may result in more student-produced Spanish-language content. Through a content analysis (N=300) of articles, this research explores what student publications are covering in Spanish. Student-produced Spanish-language newspapers prioritized news and campus coverage; nearly half of the articles directly referenced Hispanic or Latinx communities. Differences with regard to funding, public vs. private, and Hispanic-serving Institution status are discussed.

Keywords: College Newspapers, Spanish, Hispanic-serving Institutions, News Deserts

Methods: Content Analysis

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Research (Vol. 60): Full Court Press

Full Court Press: Fighting Restrictions on Student Journalists At  Private Universities

Abstract

Research and advocacy on student press freedom at the collegiate level often occurs in the context of laws on free expression and open government. However, student journalists at more than half of U.S. colleges and universities—those that are private rather than public—are not protected by the First Amendment and sunshine laws. Due to their lack of legal protections, scholars have suggested that student journalists at private institutions may choose to self-censor rather than report on campus controversies. This case study focuses on three instances when collegiate journalists at a private institution did not self-censor, but rather took the opposite approach, reporting aggressively on student press freedom conflicts. Our content analysis finds the depth and breadth of coverage—a “full court press” approach—suggests strategic attempts by student journalists to use media effects models such as agenda setting, priming, and framing to mobilize support for press freedom and ward off potential retaliation by administrators.

Keywords: college newspapers, press freedom, private institutions, media effects, agenda setting, framing

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Research (Vol. 60): Their Voices are Green

Their Voices Are Green: An Analysis of Environmental Themes
in College Magazines 2018–2022

Abstract

Campus magazines are tasked with producing content to serve and reflect the lifestyle of their campus and community. But, student magazine editors redefined “campus culture” in content choices, as life outside campus changed amid culture wars in 2018, a mass shooting in a Florida high school, historic floods and wildfire, a global pandemic, the Sunshine Movement and COP26. Through these historic events, editors – particularly in Editor’s Note – chose to use their voices to redefine “campus culture” and call for their generation to live with intention and accountability.

Editions from three nationwide contests were sampled 2018-2022 to examine environmental content focusing on three variables: Cover, Table of Contents, and Editor’s Note. Prominent themes that appeared through semiotic analysis are climate change; policy; food; distribution / system; fashion: art / beauty; solutions; activism; pollution; hazard / crisis weather; conservation; sustainability. A review of 55 publication and 135 elements shows climate change, solutions, and activism dominate discussion, with editors introducing content in more than half their columns not found in edition content. Cover art results show 59% contained some environmental element while Table of Contents amplified environmental content with 61% . Framing was measured by how creators located their content: how is their commonsense of environment defined: as a global, local, or campus intent? Results show writers based their environmental concern on campus than in urban environments, while analysis of institutions shows private colleges produced the majority of environmental content.

Key Words: Environment, Campus Media, Magazine, Semiotic Analysis, Framing

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Photographers document city fizzing with excitement

23 photojournalists document the personality of Atlanta, host city of fall convention

Whether the photographers knew Atlanta as the “Chicago of the South” or “ATL” or just “The A,” their assignment was simple: “[C]reate an image — worthy of a postcard — showing that Atlanta is a city that’s always fizzing with excitement.”

In Atlanta, even the buildings have personality. Show the personality of people interacting with those buildings. Or parks. Or vendors. Or visitors.

The photographers on-site at the College Media Association and Associated Collegiate Press national convention in Atlanta definitely set out to cover those visitors, vendors, parks and buildings to document the cultural diversity of the city.

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Training students how to report on mental health

College media is in a prime position to be at the forefront of reporting responsibly on mental health

By Ben McNeely

NC State was reeling. Students were stunned, parents were worried, and administrators were trying to respond.

My alma mater, NC State University, went through hell last academic year.

Fourteen students died, seven of which were deaths by suicide. In April, two students took their own lives within a 24-hour period.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month

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Why I asked my students to Google me

An activity for the first week of class or before the first staff meeting

By Erin Olson

In the first five days of class, a crucial window for building relationships with my new students, I did something that other educators might consider bold. I asked my students to Google me and make inferences about the year we would have together. Realizing this is something they were likely to do anyway, I wanted to witness firsthand how they searched, how they shared what they found, and if they believed the information they encountered. 

In just a few minutes, students discovered a little bit about me, and I discovered a lot about their ability to effectively look for information online. 

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Editor challenges students: get ‘fired up’

Journalists ‘ready to go’ after Mega Workshop

By Madison Roth, Minnesota Daily

Eager journalism students filled the room, carrying their hopes and dreams with them as they settled into the dingy orange chairs. Chatter bursting with excitement rang in the ears of the staff members leading the workshop tracks.

This is the weekend the some 100 students had been anticipating for months: the 2023 Associated Collegiate Press College Media Mega Workshop.

Rick Green, executive editor and chief content officer of the Press Democrat in Santa Rosa, California, kicked off the workshop by asking staff and students where they were from, as every area of the country was represented in some way.

He asked the students why they were attending the conference.

Responses ranged from “We’re really excited to get different ideas from school and learn how to improve our newspaper.” to “If you have enthusiasm and trust in yourself, anything you’re putting out there, people are gonna listen.” Continue reading “Editor challenges students: get ‘fired up’”

Despite weather, photographers document New York experience

Despite the cold and rain common in New York City this time of the year, 12 college photographers spent time exploring the city as part of the convention photo contest.

award
Gavin Britton accepts his camera donated by B&H Photo Video from Bradley Wilson. Britton had the image selected as class favorite on-site. Later, judges selected it for third place recognition.

And, for the first time, B&H Photo Video awarded a camera to the photographer who shot the class favorite image — Gavin Britton, a photographer at the University of Portland (Nancy Copic, adviser).

After the convention was over, a panel of 45 judges including college educators, professional photojournalists and scholastic educators judged the images selecting the top three for recognition.

    1. Olivia Reid, University of Massachusetts (Boston) (Charles Henriques, adviser)
    2. Laila Hazel, Southern University and A&M College (Jermaine Proshee, adviser)
    3. Photo by Gavin Britton, University of Portland (Nancy Copic, adviser)

JUDGES: Meagan Abo, Emily Arnold, Judy Babb, Michelle Balmeo, Jane Blystone, Candace Bowen, Kelly Buckner, Pam Bunka, Elise Carlson, Cary Conover, Greg Cooper, Nancy Copic, Kathy Daly, Steven Dearinger, Mark Dolejs, Hunter Doughty, Al Drago, Evan Evenson, Dominick Ferreira, Leslie Fireman, Chris Gillon, Kelly Glasscock, Stephen Green, Tara Haelle, Whitney Huang, Bonnie Katzive, Debra Klevens, John Knaur, Todd Maisel, Erin Martin, Jim McNay, Jackie Mink, Shannon Oden, Lori Oglesbee, Michelle Martinez Rivera, Margaret Sorrows, Jacob Spotts, Matt Stamey, Elizabeth Strehl, Alison Strelitz, Justin Turner, Dustin Vickers, Hillary Warren, Carrie Webbenhurst, Mark Webber, Bretton Zinger

CONTEST COORDINATOR: Bradley Wilson

 

SLIDESHOW:

CMA NYC photo contest sp23

Shoot-out reflects ‘absolutely stunning images’

Student photos reflect a portrait of Washington

After the convention in Washington, D.C., 44 judges set to work looking over the 32 entries from 19 students in the on-site Shoot-out.

One judge wrote, “(The top images) were head and shoulders above the other entries. Absolutely stunning images.”

Indeed, perhaps for the first time in nearly 20 years, the top entry scored three times higher than any other entry. It was ranked by 77% of the judges and ranked first by 47% of them.

Wrote another judge: “(The top entry) tells a story and surroundings all relate to who the person is.”

The assignment included writing captions with the names of all identifiable people. Judges repeatedly said the quality (or absence) of captions reflected in their rankings.

Continue reading “Shoot-out reflects ‘absolutely stunning images’”