SU’s Newhouse School to take part in ABC News on Campus journalism initiative

Wendy S. Loughlin
315 443 2785

Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications is one of five communications schools across the country to be chosen for participation in ABC News on Campus, a new journalism initiative sponsored by ABC News.

Through the partnership, ABC News will create five on-campus multimedia bureaus that will open in September 2008 and provide an opportunity for students to report on stories in their area and produce a wide array of content for ABC News’ various digital and broadcast platforms, including “Good Morning America,” “World News with Charles Gibson,” “Nightline,” ABC News NOW, ABCNEWS.com, mtvU, ABC News Radio and NewsOne. Students will respond to breaking news and also create daily original content.

“Our Newhouse bureau consists of broadcast and print students who are excited to work together to tell good stories over multiple platforms,” says Dona Hayes, chair of the Newhouse School’s broadcast journalism department. “We’re all looking forward to seeing what this kind of collaborative effort between our students, faculty sponsors and ABC produces.”

“These college digital bureaus will extend the newsgathering reach of ABC News throughout the country,” says ABC News President David Westin. “In addition, they will enable us to nurture bright young journalism students, giving them hands-on training from some of the most seasoned news professionals in the business and opportunities to see their work appear on ABC News’ platforms.”

ABC News says the initiative will provide unique insight into what America’s 33 million 18-25 year-olds are thinking.

Student participants will primarily consist of upper-class and graduate students who are selected by ABC News and the respective college. Other participating schools are the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University; the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida; the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication; and the College of Communication at the University of Texas.

ABC News Executive Producer of Special Programming and Development John Green will supervise and manage the program with Director of Executive Projects Sandy Sidey and a team at ABC News headquarters in New York. Each bureau will receive extensive training, including on-site mentoring with the student bureau chiefs and faculty liaisons at ABC News headquarters twice yearly. Representatives from ABC News will also travel to all five campuses for ABC News information sessions.

Newhouse’s faculty liaisons are Frank Currier, professor of practice in broadcast journalism, and Randy Wenner, director of the broadcast journalism facilities.