‘The No. 1 challenge is mental health’
Student press groups leaders discuss the ‘State of the Profession’
Food insecurity, stress and an unsustainable industry funding model are exacerbating mental health issues among student journalists.
That was the gist of what student journalism association leaders described as the current “state of the profession” at a recent virtual panel by the College Media Association.
Bottom line: Experts called for urgent reforms by advocating for mental health in the industry and creating a healthy newsroom environment to support these young professionals.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten calls from students at 9-10-11 o’clock at night saying ‘Hey, I’m suicidal,’” said Jackie Alexander, president of the CMA.
Alexander is also the student media director at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Here’s what she said has happened at the school and beyond:
The editor-in-chief of the student outlet also worked as a tutor for the athletics department and as a DoorDasher.
She walks student journalists to the food pantry because some face interpersonal and domestic violence at home.
College media has operated with a mentality that you have to “pay your dues” when you’re an entry-level.
There has been an increase in online harassment and doxing against student journalists.
Society of Professional Journalists President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins stressed the importance of teaching student journalists to recognize and manage emotional triggers, advocate for themselves and create safe spaces for discussing the impacts of their work.
Students need to know when a story can trigger them due to personal or childhood traumas, especially when covering communities they belong to or marginalized groups.
Share why some stories are difficult and “so layered.”
This would help the coverage.
“If some people need to say I can't do this … let them have that space.”
“We don't want to create a new generation of journalists who are getting burnt out, having mental health issues and unable to manage them.”
Adults need to give them the tools that help them identify a toxic newsroom, “and they should maybe get out.”
On the other hand, Associated Collegiate Press President Elizabeth Smith said student journalists actually know how to advocate for them. It’s the advisors that need to learn to listen.
“They are allowed to question and even push back on the conventions of journalism. They are allowed to do it differently.”
Support them based on how they see each story.
Glenda Balas of the Broadcast Education Association highlighted the need for funding to create that safe space.
If there is a space, students will talk about mental health.
The catch? “There's just not enough money to do all the things that we need to do for our students.”
It would be interesting to involve students in fundraising projects, allowing them to develop rationale, mission and means and engage with the community to support financially constrained initiatives that matter to them.
Speaking of money, College Media Business and Advertising Managers President Allen Vaughan said fundraising is not easy but it’s important to “fight like hell” to ensure a positive student experience.
“Be as entrepreneurial as possible in trying to figure out where you can turn a buck from somewhere. We are doing better at making money from our journalism product, but we make the majority of our money from non-journalism situations.”
Other topics discussed included artificial intelligence in journalism, legal issues and the effects of the declining industry on students. Read about these from previous reporting by The Nutgraf below.
Note: This is the last story of the season. I’m taking a break and will return when the fall semester begins. I will send out a note next week.
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Story Spotlight:
Writing about other people’s trauma when I’m still processing my own (The Independent Florida Aligator): “It was hard — going up in front of nearly one hundred other students and admitting that I, a journalist often writing about other people’s experiences and trauma, was a victim, too. Still, I found a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. My job is to tell people’s stories, it was finally time to tell my own.”
Coalition calls on DA to decline charges against Stanford student journalist (Student Press Law Center): Police arrested journalist Dilan Gohill, a first-year student who covers campus activism for The Stanford Daily in response to a protest and occupation of the Stanford president’s office. Gohill was held in jail for 15 hours and faces charges of felony burglary, vandalism and conspiracy.
Stanford presses prosecution of student journalist covering protest (San Francisco Chronicle): “The First Amendment does not protect the right to break, enter, and/or trespass in a locked private building,” the university said in an unsigned statement. Read the full release here.
A step toward press freedom in schools (The Star Tribune): A new Minnesota law protects the work of student journalists in grades 6-12, but those at the college level need that, too.
Featured Opportunities:
The International Center for Journalists is looking for a fall communication intern to base in Washington, D.C.
KUT in Austin is seeking fall interns for multiple roles. Apply before June 28.
The deadline to submit entries to AEJMC’s Student Magazine Contest 2024 is June 30.
Texas Monthly is accepting applications for editorial and arts interns for the fall until July 1.
Apply to KCUR’s internship program in Kansas City for fall, winter and spring by July 21.
Student journalists can apply for a scholarship that provides free housing and a stipend for fall internships in Washington, D.C. The deadline is July 28.
I want to hear from you: How has journalism affected your mental health? How do you cope? Is your student publication doing something cool that you’d like to share? Reach me at nutgrafnews@substack.com. I will respond! Also, please share.