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School of Journalism and New Media
University of Mississippi

Posts Tagged ‘ESPN’

ESPN sports producer and Mississippi journalists will discuss modern sports reporting Wednesday in Overby Center

Posted on: November 2nd, 2019 by ldrucker

An award-winning ESPN producer will join other Mississippi journalists in a panel discussion about sports reporting Wednesday in the Overby Center Auditorium.

ESPN’s Dwayne Bray will join Mississippi Today‘s Rick Cleveland and the Clarion Ledger‘s Mackenzie Salmon at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6. for a panel discussion on the status and direction of modern sports reporting.

Professor R.J. Morgan will moderate. The event is open to the public.

Bray will also teach a one-week workshop at the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media Nov. 4-9.

He will offer a select group of sports-minded students the opportunity to work with him on local enterprise stories about college athletics and local sports.

“Students will also need to carve out additional reporting time,” said Morgan, “but we’re hoping the opportunity to work with a high-quality mentor to develop high-quality clips will make the time commitment a worthwhile investment for them.”

Dwayne Bray will conduct a sports reporting workshop at the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media.

Dwayne Bray will conduct a sports reporting workshop at the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media.

Assistant Dean Debora Wenger said the workshop will focus on helping student journalists do deeper and richer sports reporting.

“Some of the best long-form storytelling you’ll see anywhere right now can be found on ESPN,” she said. “We are thrilled to have senior producer Dwayne Bray coming to campus to facilitate an intensive, week-long focus on sports journalism with some of our most passionate students. We’re hoping to jump-start a number of sports-related projects with Mr. Bray coaching the students through the process.”

Bray, the senior coordinating producer for ESPN’s Enterprise Reporting Unit, joined ESPN in October of 2006 and has overseen the network’s team of journalists who produce long-form stories on issues throughout sports, according to the ESPN Press Room website. Those stories are most often seen on Outside the Lines, SportsCenter and E:60.

According to his ESPN bio, “Bray previously served as ESPN’s onsite news editor for Monday Night Football, the NBA and college football and basketball. Prior to joining ESPN, he was sports editor and deputy managing editor at the Dallas Morning News; sports editor, assistant metro editor and police reporter at the Dayton Daily News; courts reporter at the Los Angeles Times; and staff reporter at the Medina (Ohio) Gazette, ESPN reports.”

He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize three times while working as a reporter and editor in Dayton in the 1990s.

“Bray’s investigative unit has won the Edward R. Murrow Award for coverage of human trafficking, the Alfred. I duPont Award for coverage of corruption in youth football and two Peabody awards – one for coverage of football brain injuries and one for coverage of allegations of sexual abuse at Michigan State,” his bio reads.

Bray graduated from Cleveland State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications. He earned a master’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University.

If you require special assistance relating to a disability, please contact Sarah Griffith at 662-915-7146 or via email at slgriff@olemiss.edu. Please request accommodations as soon as possible to allow time for arrangements to be made.

For more information, contact Assistant Dean Debora Wenger at 662-915-7146 or dwenger@olemiss.edu.

UM journalism graduate perfects skills behind the scenes of ESPN Network

Posted on: September 27th, 2018 by ldrucker

Born and raised an Ole Miss fan, 2016 graduate Catherine Carroon followed generations of family members to Rebel Nation before beginning her career in the world of sports through the University of Mississippi’s School of Journalism and New Media.

Although she was not 100 percent set on Ole Miss, she said she decided to attend the university due to its impeccable journalism program.

Carroon embarked on her journalism journey her freshman year; however, she quickly switched her major to the school’s integrated marketing communications program.

The decision to switch career paths came from her passion for sports. She said she knew she didn’t want a career in sports writing, but since the school did not offer sports marketing, IMC became the best decision.

“I thought [IMC] would be the closest thing to get me near that track,” Carroon said.

While attending the university, Carroon had her first taste of experience through ESPN as a “runner” for College Gameday. That behind-the-scenes experience influenced her to hone in on sports operations.

“ESPN was one of those things I always thought ‘there is a one-in-a-million special person’ who would get the job there,” Carroon said. “I never thought it would be obtainable.” Photo courtesy of Carroon.

Carroon furthered her skill set in sport operations by working in the university’s control room—an operations sports program run by ESPN for a majority of SEC universities.

Upon graduation, Carroon said she was unsure what her next steps would be. However, one of the coordinating producers, Meg Aronowitz, sent a mass email to all the SEC control rooms regarding an operations internship in Bristol, Connecticut.

One of the ESPN control room contacts informed Carroon and encouraged her to apply, she said.

“ESPN was one of those things I always thought ‘there is a one-in-a-million special person’ who would get the job there,” Carroon said. “I never thought it would be obtainable.”

Now as a operations coordinator in her third year at the network, Carroon said she can link the framework of her success back to her Ole Miss experiences.

Although her classes in sports and journalism taught her educational information she uses day to day, Carroon credits her time at the university’s control room for her hands on experience in sports. From interacting with producers to handling film, the experience gave her a bird’s eye view on how to work in sports operations.

Carroon has covered a plethora of sports since her stint at ESPN. From the Sunday night MLB package to working on Olympic Sports, there aren’t many sports the young journalist hasn’t covered.

By Talbert Toole, lifestyles editor of HottyToddy.com. 

School’s broadcast students work sidelines for ESPN/SECN

Posted on: October 15th, 2017 by ldrucker

Broadcast journalism students Annie Mapp and Kirsten Faulkner were on the sidelines of the Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt game Saturday, Oct. 14, working the parabolic mic for the ESPN/SECN broadcast.

The mic is used to enhance the noise from the field to make those watching at home feel like they are at the game.

Meek School students are regularly invited to work as runners, production assistants and utility workers alongside the main production crews for sports telecasts.

It’s a great way to learn, earn a little money and have fun.

“I enjoyed every minute of it,” Faulkner said.