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School of Journalism and New Media
University of Mississippi

Posts Tagged ‘reporting’

UM’s Summer College for High School invites students to take journalism courses

Posted on: February 28th, 2019 by ldrucker

If you know a high-achieving high school student who is interested in taking journalism courses this summer, tell them about the University of Mississippi’s Summer College for High School students.

SCHS is a four-week academic program for rising junior and senior high school students who want to experience university life prior to their first year of enrollment.

The journalism courses offered during SCHS this summer are:

Jour 101 – Introduction to Mass Communication – An introduction to the impact and importance of media on society. This undergraduate course will help you develop media literacy skills and explore the development, structure, and functions of traditional and new media. We will examine the history, economics and other aspects of the media globally, and especially in the United States. The course will also give you an overview of communication professions, such as journalism, public relations, and advertising. We’ll also watch a few interesting journalism movies.

Jour 361 – What does “Black Mirror” reflect? Social media and tech in society. “Black Mirror” is a British science-fiction anthology series set in the near future that explores the potential consequences of social media and future technology. Each episode has a different cast with a unique story and, like most science fiction, it offers a prophetic warning about what could happen if we lose control and allow technology to control us. Recognizing the show’s potential as a discussion starter about modern and future media, students are asked to watch specific episodes of “Black Mirror,” think critically about the program, and through class discussion and writing exercises, they will envision the future of social media and technology. Some selected content will be hosted on our Black Mirror Project website. The class will also analyze topical developments and news stories related to the impact of social media on society.

Summer College allows high school students to earn college credits, get familiar with the collegiate environment, and develop social, personal and academic skills that will increase their overall success in college. Participants in Summer College also have the opportunity to gain dual credit (high school and college) for classes taken during the summer

Benefits

  • Earn six (6) college credit hours transferable to most public US universities.
  • Live on campus with other participants from the United States and abroad.
  • Learn time and financial management skills
  • Develop leadership and social skills
  • Make the transition from high school to college smoother, increasing opportunities for success.
  • Explore university facilities including libraries, computer labs, recreation centers, and dining options.
  • Experience and engage in cultural and recreational activities.
  • Create meaningful and lasting friendships.
  • Qualify for scholarships at the University of Mississippi to enroll as an undergraduate

If you’re interested in learning more, visit this link that will tell you all about the program and additional courses in other subjects you can also take.

Why Ethical Business Is Good Business: Hearst TV leaders speak at School of Journalism and New Media

Posted on: October 4th, 2018 by ldrucker

Fred Young and Hank Price, two past and present top Hearst TV leaders, spoke Monday, Oct. 8 in the Overby Center auditorium. Young discussed “Why Ethical Business is Good Business.”

According to Hearst.com, Fred I. Young, was the senior vice president of News for Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc., before retiring after a distinguished 46-year career. Young served in an advisory and consulting role with the company and its television stations.

He oversaw news operations at Hearst-Argyle TV stations in 26 markets throughout 22 states, according to Hearst.com, as well as the Hearst-Argyle Washington, D.C., News Bureau, which services the company’s television news departments. He had served as vice president of news upon Hearst-Argyle’s formation in August 1997 through the combination of Hearst Broadcasting and Argyle Television, Inc.

In March 2002, Young received a First Amendment Service Award from the Radio-Television News Directors Foundation.

Hearst.com reports that Young joined Hearst Broadcasting in October 1962, serving for 25 years at WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, as vice president and general manager, news director, and in other news management positions. “During his years there, WTAE-TV received numerous local and national awards for quality programming and community service. He was also instrumental in the original campaign to admit television cameras into Pennsylvania courtrooms,” the website reports.

Young is a past president of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters, from whom he received a Broadcaster of the Year Award. He is also past chairman of the Telecommunications Advisory Committee of Pennsylvania State University, and is a member of the Radio-Television News Directors’ Association. A graduate of Duquesne University, he is also a past president of the Congregation Brothers of Israel in Trenton, New Jersey.

Hank Price is president and general manager of WVTM 13, the Hearst Television NBC affiliate in Birmingham, Alabama. He also serves as director of leadership development for the Meek School of Journalism & New Media.

Before moving to WVTM 13 in January of 2015, Price was president and general manager of WXII 12, Hearst’s NBC affiliate in Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina. During Price’s tenure, WXII 12 became the region’s dominant source of news and information on all platforms, including television, web and mobile. From 2000 until 2015, Price was also senior director of Northwestern University’s Media Management Center. He is co-author of Managing Today’s News Media: Audience First (Sage, 2015).

Prior to joining Hearst and Northwestern, Price was vice-president and general manager of WBBM-TV, the CBS-owned television station in Chicago. During that time, he was named a “Fifth Estater” by Broadcasting and Cable Magazine for innovative leadership in local news.

Before WBBM, Price spent 12 years with the Gannett Company in a variety of positions, including president and general manager of KARE 11 in Minneapolis, president and general manager of WFMY-TV in Greensboro, N.C., and vice-president for programming, marketing and research at WUSA-TV in Washington, DC.

Price, a native of Gulfport, Miss., worked his way through college at the University of Southern Mississippi, where he is a member of the School of Mass Communications and Journalism Hall of Fame.

Oxford Stories reporters talk about MLK reporting project in Daily Journal podcast

Posted on: April 21st, 2018 by ldrucker

Oxford Stories reporting classes recently completed a special journalism project about the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Oxford Stories worked in partnership with the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal to republish some of the stories student reporters wrote.

Chris Keiffer, of the Daily Journal, later contacted Oxford Stories and asked to do a podcast about the project. Oxford Stories reporters Alexis Rhoden and T’Keyah Jones were interviewed for the podcast. You can listen to their interview at the link below.

http://memo.djournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/The-Memo-04.20.18-MLK-memories.mp3

You can read stories from the project at the website: The Lorraine Motel: 50 Years After the Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Atkins inducted into East Carolina University Educators Hall of Fame

Posted on: November 2nd, 2017 by ldrucker

Joe Atkins, longtime professor of journalism in the Meek School of Journalism and New Media at the University of Mississippi, was inducted into the East Carolina University Educators Hall of Fame in Greenville, North Carolina, Oct. 28.

Atkins received his undergraduate degree in English and philosophy from ECU in 1970. He later studied at the University of Munich and received a master’s degree in journalism from American University.

A veteran journalist and former congressional correspondent, Atkins has taught at Ole Miss since 1990. Sponsored by members of his graduating class at Sanford (North Carolina) Central High School, Atkins was recognized for his work as a writer, journalist, and advocate for social justice and for his many years of teaching.

Dennis Moore awarded Silver Em and journalism students honored

Posted on: April 6th, 2017 by ldrucker

From left, Debora Wenger, Dennis Moore and Will Norton Jr.

In 1975, the Memphis Commercial Appeal asked the University of Mississippi to nominate two students for potential internships. Dennis Moore was one. He traveled to Memphis and survived an odd interview with the managing editor, who asked a variety of strange questions, such as “Name the countries you fly over when traveling from Memphis to Antarctica?”

“Despite the bizarre nature of the interview, he demonstrated an ability to be removed from the chaotic nature of questioning and keep his wits,” said Will Norton Jr., Ph.D., professor and dean of UM’s Meek School of Journalism and New Media. “He has followed a similar pattern throughout his career. His achievements demonstrate that, while the Meek School has more prominence today than it had 40 years ago, its graduates have always had national stature.”

Moore was honored Wednesday night as the 58th recipient of the Samuel S. Talbert Silver Em award at the Inn at Ole Miss on the UM campus. The Silver Em is UM’s highest award for journalism. Recipients must be Mississippi natives or have led exemplary careers in the state.

Moore began his journalism career as an intern at The Germantown (Tennessee) News. He later directed breaking news coverage for USA Today, the nation’s largest circulation newspaper, on stories such as the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; the spread of Ebola from Africa to the United States; and the trial of one of the Boston Marathon bombers.

Earlier at USA Today, he was managing editor of the Life section, which put him in contact with Mick Jagger, John Grisham, Steven Spielberg and and many other notable people.

Moore said his favorite entertainment interview was with Octavia Spencer, who won an Oscar for her role in “The Help,” a book that became a movie written by fellow UM graduate Katherine Stockett set in Jackson, where Moore began his professional reporting career at The Clarion-Ledger.

Moore is now co-editor of Mississippi Today, a news website, with Fred Anklam, also a USA Today and Clarion-Ledger veteran, Ole Miss graduate and Silver Em recipient.

“When I found out I was going to receive the award, I thought I don’t measure up to the previous recipients,” Moore said Wednesday during his acceptance speech. “I don’t think my accomplishments are as stellar as theirs.

“I’ve never endangered myself and my family for editorializing about a social issue. I’ve never revealed government malfeasance. I’ve never helped the community overcome a major natural disaster. I spent most of my career covering entertainment, movies, television, music, and the slightly higher respectability chain, books.”

However, Moore said he believes the staffs he’s worked with over the years have applied the same enthusiasm, vigor and aggressive newsgathering that people on other beats did while covering the entertainment industry.

“We just had more fun,” he said.

Moore said he likes to think he’s helped people understand the importance of critical thinking. “I believe if you look insightfully, if you look aggressively at popular culture, you can find out as much about society as if you write a news story,” he said.

Moore said he’s concerned about the lack of critical thinking in modern journalism. He said journalists must present facts and provide information to defend them because, in a “fake news” era, the public questions the media.

“They don’t have the confidence,” he said. “I believe we can do that by reporting and providing context. By context, I don’t mean let’s interpret for people. Let’s get enough facts so that we can speak confidently, authoritatively and can address issues in a way that can’t be questioned.

“If there’s a problem, we can possibly offer alternatives. We can treat the people we deal with on our beats with respect. Hold them accountable, but don’t present them with our agenda. I think that’s what a lot of news organizations are starting to do now.”

While Moore is concerned about the state of journalism today, he said he’s also encouraged, because he thinks journalists are on a good path.

“We have to report with depth, insight, and then we may be able to affect change,” he said.

Moore credited several people with his success, including Norton, who he described as “inexhaustible” and a “genius.”

“He will very humbly describe himself as making connections, when actually what he does is he creates character and careers,” said Moore. “The Meek School would not be the Meek School without Dr. Norton.”

Norton said he went through issues of The Daily Mississippian from 1973 to 1975 to look at some of Moore’s work as a student journalist. He found several stories, including one titled ‘Dorm Hunting, the night I kicked my leg through the wall, I decided it was time to move.’ Moore wrote light and serious pieces for the college newspaper, including stories about UM applying again for a Phi Beta Kappa chapter and voting issues.

“Whether it was about shoddy campus housing, lack of freedom for faculty members or voting rights, tonight’s honoree always seemed to focus on important news,” said Norton, who gave attendees an update about the Meek School of Journalism and New Media.

“During the 1974-75 academic year, the Department of Journalism had fewer than 100 majors, and an accreditation team made its first site visit to the campus,” he said. “The endowment of the department was less than $50,000.

“Today, the Meek School has more than 1,500 majors in Farley Hall and the Overby Center, and is raising funds for a third building that will be situated in the parking lot between Lamar Hall and the Overby Center, and the accreditation team called the Meek School a destination – and one of the elite programs in the nation.”

Norton said the endowment today is more than $13 million with a major estate committed to the future.

“The Meek School is prominent nationally now, if not globally,” he said. “Clearly, media education at Ole Miss has gained a great deal of exposure. Several times over the last few weeks, the chancellor has called the Meek School one of the two best schools on the campus. That exposure is based on the strong foundation established in 1947 by Gerald Forbes, the founding chair. He was joined by Sam Talbert and Dr. Jere Hoar. They produced outstanding graduates.”

Hoar was one of the event attendees Wednesday night, and he was recognized for his contribution to the school.

The Silver Em award is named for Talbert, the professor and department chairman, who believed a great department of journalism could be an asset to the state of Mississippi. An “em” was used in printing. In the days of printing with raised metal letters, lines of type were “justified” by skilled insertion of spacing with blanks of three widths – thin, en and em. The Silver Em blends the printing unit of measure with the “M” for Mississippi.

“The award has been presented annually since 1948 as the university’s highest honor for journalism,” said Debora Wenger, associate professor of journalism. “The requirements are that the person selected be a graduate of the University of Mississippi, who has had a noteworthy impact in or out of the state, or if not a graduate of Ole Miss, a journalist of note who has been a difference-maker in Mississippi.”

Meek journalism students were also honored during the event, which featured the Best of Meek awards ceremony.

Students who received Taylor Medals include Rachel Anderson, Katelin Davis, Hannah Hurdle and Ariyl Onstott.

The Kappa Tau Alpha Graduate Scholar was Stefanie Linn Goodwiller.

The KTA Undergraduate Scholar was Ariyl Onstott.

Graduate Excellence winners were Mrudvi Parind Vakshi and Jane Cathryn Walton.

The Lambda Sigma winner was Susan Clara Turnage.

Excellence in Integrated Marketing Communications winners were Austin McKay Dean and Sharnique G’Shay Smith.

Excellence in Journalism winners were Maison Elizabeth Heil and John Cooper Lawton.

Who’s Who winners were Rachel Anderson, Ferderica Cobb, Austin Dean, Elizabeth Ervin, Leah Gibson, Madison Heil, Cady Herring, Rachel Holman, Amanda Hunt, Hannah Hurdle, Amanda Jones, John Lawton, Taylor Lewis, Ariyl Onstott, Meredith Parker, Susan Clara Turnage, Sudu Upadhyay and Brittanee Wallace.

The Overby Award was given to Susan Clara Turnage.

Kappa Tau Alpha inductees include Brandi Embrey, Elizabeth Estes, Madison Heil, Rachael Holman, Hannah Hurdle, Tousley Leake, Taylor Lewis, Jessica Love, Hailey McKee, Olivia Morgan, Ariyl Onstott, Alexandria Paton, Natalie Seales and Zachary Shaw.

Dean’s Award winners include Madeleine Dear, Lana Ferguson, Kylie Fichter, Jennifer Froning, Dylan Lewis, Emily Lindstrom, Sarah McCullen, Dixie McPherson, Anna Miller, Rashad Newsom, Hannah Pickett, Kalah Walker, Brittanee Wallace, Kara Weller and Anna Wierman.

The Meek School of Journalism and New Media was founded in 2009 with a $5.9 million gift from Dr. Ed and Becky Meek, Ole Miss graduates with a long history of support. It is housed in Farley Hall, with a wing for the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics. Today, the Meek School has 1,570 students in undergraduate and graduate studies working toward degrees in journalism and IMC.

For more information, email meekschool@olemiss.edu.

  • Story by LaReeca Rucker, adjunct journalism instructor

Journalism Graduates claim awards

Posted on: July 11th, 2010 by No Comments

Our 2005 graduate Sun Herald political reporter Michael Newsom earned the Mississippi Press Association’s top writing award for his series on state Department of Transportation’s travel records.

Newsom earned the Bill Minor Writing Award for his work, which also took first place for best in-depth or investigative coverage during an awards luncheon at the MPA summer convention in Tunica.

2008 graduate Angie Barmer won first place for feature photography and third place in feature writing for her work with the New Albany Gazette.

2008 graduate Patrick Ochs also won a first and second place award for his sports writing at the Oxford Eagle.

All three worked at The DM when they were students here. Newsom was Editor in Chief.

Read more here