This year, The Standard has dived deeper into broadcast than ever before. With new camera equipment, active social media platforms and a weekly broadcast, our use of multimedia journalism has appealed to a new audience of students who are watching and listening – rather than simply reading – our daily content.

To keep up with the increasing interest in photography and broadcast year-to-year, the journalism program recieved four new cameras equipped with microphones and tripods. I set aside class time for a technology expert in the school to teach the editors how to properly use the equipment, and then organized an activity where small groups went off to practice filming before putting their skills in action. In discussions about the Media Team, we gave two staff members equipment manager positions to ensure that we keep all cameras in working condition 

In early November, I sat down with a group of five dedicated reporters who had told me they wanted to pitch an idea. They wanted to do a weekly broadcast that would serve as a recap of the week with news, sports, a weather forecast, and montage with clips from school events. At that initial meeting, we spoke for an hour about how these elements might come together and I organized an editing workflow to ensure that it would be feasible to publish a full broadcast every week. They hit the ground running in December, and so far this semester, the Standard News Network has consistently published a five-minute broadcast every Monday.

 A few reporters expressed interest in sports reporting, and asked if it would be possible to stream the game live with court-side commentary. I knew it would be a serious learning curve because it was a skillset that no staff members had explored before, but I encouraged the reporters to try it out and checked in on them mid-game to make sure all of the equipment was still functioning. The match coincided with the editors' layout for Issue 3, so we all supported the reporters from P-101 by streaming their coverage. Although we only had a few viewers during the game, the video now has over 120 views and has gained a following of students who are likely to tune in next time.

The Standard's TikTok account had existed for months before I began working with interested staff members to create an opportunity to engage with out audience in a different way; we just needed to figure out the right way to do it. I met with the Media Team to discuss how we would maintain our professionalism and high standards, while acknowledging the unique opportunity to create fun and playful content. I cited inspiration from news outlets like the Washington Post and BBC that have garnered a new audience of viewers through TikTok without sacrificing their credibility. We have regularly posted on the platform and I have continued to review the content checklist to ensure that we are using the app to its fullest extent while maintaining journalistic coverage.

I am constantly encouraging staff members to question which form of media they are using to tell a story. In many cases, video has proven to be the most engaging medium, from sit-down interviews with the administration to food reviews to a feature on the security team. I guide reporters through the process of creating a video that upholds our journalistic standards while leaving room for experimentation and creativity when it comes to structure and graphics.

Click on any of the pictures above to watch the video.

In the first week of the school year, I made this video at Senior Sunrise to demonstrate that I was committed to transforming our use of broadcast coverage. I filmed these clips before 7 a.m., edited the video together, and published it before our first class at 8:30 a.m. I could see how big of it an impact it had as I was walking through the hallways and could hear the video playing from students' phones all day long. 

As our broadcast content takes up more and more of a presence on our site, I have made sure that my feedback is continuous and comprehensive to ensure that it lasts long after I leave my role as EIC. I work with reporters on their broadcast skills regularly by offering to help with placing camera angles, explaining each edit so that they can be avoided, and sending words of encouragement.