Month: February 2025
Journalism Students Discuss the Ins and Outs of good Journalism
Students of Jesse Miller’s CMM 211 Journalism class construct thoughts and ideas about the nuances of journalism that can elevate their writing.
February 4, 2025
Casey Jordan
UNE Student
During class on Friday January 31’st students broke the ice on areas to focus on in their future writings, flipping what some previously knew about journalism on its head.
Students met in room 217 in Marcil hall to attend Professor Millers class on journalism. Miller, a former leader of UNE’s school newspaper “The Bolt” was adamant about the importance of the nut graph in journalism. Stating to his students during class, “If you are reading to learn the brain asks questions, the nut graph is there to answer those questions”. Further going into the substance of the nut graph. That being the who, what, when, where and the “deeper why” of the story. Being three to five paragraphs in and full of the answers the readers are looking for, the nut graph is hugely important to the reader.
Another powerful element of journalism that reaches a deeper level then the nut graph is the watchdog element.
Students shared their thoughts on this during another discussion lead by Professor Miller. The discussion covered the basis that journalism is the ability to critique power. Student Anthony Lacaprucia stated, “The watchdog element in journalism keeps an accurate record of those in power”. If we we are not able to report on powerful people, we would face tyranny. Thankfully, there is plenty of critique in journalism today as journalists job is to report on what they find, like it or not. Without the watchdog element in journalism, we would find ourselves in a less free society.
This class period brought lots of information to the table on how students can be better journalists. The discussion lead by Professor Miller engaged students to share their ideas and findings with one another. The melting pot of journalistic knowledge had something that every student could benefit from learning.
