The importance of diverse news coverage on college campuses

By Whitney Thomas

News coverage on university campuses can sometimes fall short where the majority of their news coverage revolves around the university. Emily Broils, the editor-in-chief at Appalachian State University, breaks through this barrier by allowing student journalists to reflect on how they define news, and helping them realize the value breaking news has to them. Balancing breaking news and community news increases readership and credibility to on campus news outlets. 

Student journalists can get wrapped up in the misconception that only students are reading the paper and care about their reports, making university news a top priority, and thus can end up forgetting the community around them. 

“There was a gunman in my neighborhood, which had never happened before, and my team stood by for hours and ended up gaining respect from law enforcement. They ensured that we got the right information, so we ended up being the first media outlet in my town to break the story,” said Gabriel Trout, the copy editor for Appalachian State university. He emphasized the importance of teaching new students who join media organizations about the importance of news beyond the college campus, because that is where they can experience diverse situations. 

Duncan Slade, the editor-in-chief at West Virginia University said he learned that breaking news can easily accelerate. “In the Newsroom it is important to get young reporters more involved with the newsroom process so that they can understand the acceleration of news,” Slade said. 

Balancing the life of a student journalist, and student work life can get hectic as you go from class to class. The next story or report is constantly on a journalist’s mind. One of the most important things student journalists learn is the battle between the university and student media can become an unbalanced playing field being that it’s their say vs. yours, where journalists must stand firm in their truth, and always present the facts. 

Carrying integrity for the job is another important key factor to being a student journalist. Approaching staff and other sources with empathy and understanding will allow them to be comfortable and transparent. With being at a high level of importance, journalists can sometimes get wrapped up in their egos, but must come to learn that the story and sources are the only important things. 

Broils makes an important point saying that getting wrapped up in student media can sometimes back burner school. “I’d get so busy covering stories that I forget about my homework assignments.” 

 Student journalists should know that the pressure they feel is valid, and that it’s OK to ask for help, and need all hands on deck. Making time for things outside of the newsroom and balancing a life outside of student media is important for mental health reasons. 

Deondre Ashley, a current NABJ president for Northwestern University mentioned how he now understands the importance of working with his crew. “Things can get really intense in the news so I now understand that it is important to work with your crew, and be able to relate to them,”