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News and features of the Journalism School

November 2016

MTSU School of Journalism is re-accredited

Following a review and on-site inspection by a visiting team of education professionals, the School has earned re-accreditation from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC), the foremost accrediting agency for journalism and mass communication programs. There are 118 accredited programs worldwide out of about 450 institutions that offer formal journalism and mass communication programs.

The site team that visited the campus did an evaluation of the School based on a set of nine standards such as the quality of curriculum and instruction, diversity and inclusiveness, faculty scholarship, and resources, facilities and equipment. The team found no deficiencies in any of the standards.

Accredited programs are reevaluated once every six years. Learn more at ACEJMC’s site.

August 2016

Reporting Road Trip

Each summer, Leon Alligood’s feature writing class goes on the road for three weeks, spending one week in each of the state’s three regions, West, Middle and East Tennessee. In the summer of 2016, the class visited Martin, McMinnville and Cleveland, and the students did reporting in partnership with the Weakely County Press, the Martin Southern Standard, and the McMinnville Daily Banner.

The Road Trip is funded by the Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies.

February 2016

MTSU School of Journalism ranked among top programs by TV Week.

MTSU’s School of Journalism is once again ranked among the top 30 programs in the United States, according to a survey by TV Week’s NewsPro Magazine. MTSU was the only Tennessee university in the rankings.

Read more at The Leading Edge

Student journalists win big at SE Journalism Conference

Student journalists from Middle Tennessee State University won nine awards at the Southeast Journalism Conference Friday night, including four first place finishes in several of the most competitive categories.

Meagan White won first place in the Best Opinion/Editorial Writer category and John Connor Coulston won first in the Best Arts and Entertainment Writer category. Erin Thomas, who graduated in December, won first place in the Best Radio Feature Reporter contest.

Rounding out the top honors was first place in the Best College Website event, honoring the redesign of mtsusidelines.com that went online in 2015.

“I couldn’t be happier about the awards brought home by our student journalists,” said Leon Alligood, faculty adviser to Sidelines. “It’s very rewarding to see their hard work recognized.”

Sarah Taylor won three awards: a second in Best News Writer, a third in Best Multimedia Reporter and a 10th in the College Journalist of the Year categories.

Sidelines staff photographer Greg French was recognized with sixth place in the Best Press Photographer category.

Entries came from 35 universities and colleges in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee.

November 2015

MTSU Poll: Latest Results

A poll conducted October 25-27 revealed Tennesseans’ opinions on topics such as gun control, same-sex marriage and abortion. It also covered the presidential primary candidates: MTSUpoll.org

The MTSU Poll is administered by School of Journalism professors Ken Blake and Jason Reineke.

August 2015

Reporting Road Trip

Each summer, Leon Alligood’s feature writing class goes on the road for three weeks, spending one week in each of the state’s three regions, West, Middle and East Tennessee. In the summer of 2015, the class visited McKenzie in West Tennessee, Hartsville and Lebanon in Middle Tennessee and Gatlinburg in East Tennessee. The class had partnerships with local newspapers in the West (the McKenzie Banner) and Middle regions (the Hartsville Vidette and the Lebanon Democrat).

The Road Trip is funded by the Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies.

August 2015

New director for School of Journalism

Dr. Gregory Pitts is the new director of the MTSU School of Journalism. He previously led the Department of Communications at the University of North Alabama, where he led the mass communication program to earn its initial accreditation review by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). Other leadership roles include: Director of Faculty and Student Programs for the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) Educational Foundation and media management trainer for the International Broadcasting Bureau, a unit of the U.S. Department of State.

Dr. Pitts has been a mass communication faculty member at both public and private universities for more than 25 years. Read more about him in the College’s blog The Leading Edge: Pitts takes the helm of School of Journalism.

Multimedia Journalism moves to Journalism School

The multimedia journalism concentration, which includes broadcast journalism, has moved from the Department of Electronic Media to the MTSU School of Journalism, effective with the fall 2015 semester. This will combine the print and online journalism program with broadcast radio and television, providing a more comprehensive educational experience for all journalism students.

Two faculty from EMC who taught in the concentration have also moved to the Journalism School, Robert Jasso and Dr. Jennifer Woodard. A new faculty member, Dr. Christine Eschenfelder, will also teach in the concentration. More information about the program: multimedia-journalism.

New name for College

The College of Mass Communication, to which the MTSU School of Journalism belongs, has a new name: The College of Media and Entertainment. The new title is intended to better reflect the College’s mission and the focus of its three units, which, along with Journalism, includes the Department of Electronic Media Communication and the Department of Recording Industry.

Dean Ken Paulson talks about the name change and the College’s new direction in the College’s blog The Leading Edge: Mass Comm is now the College of Media and Entertainment.

The Leading Edge

The Leading Edge is the online newsletter of the College of Mass Communication of which the School of Journalism is a part. If you’re interested in the College or the School, The Leading Edge is a rich source of information about programs and events taking place in both. Most of the content is created by journalism students. Click here to go to the newsletter page.

Kappa Tau Alpha Chapter

The College of Mass Communication has received approval for a chapter of Kappa Tau Alpha, a national journalism and mass communication honor society. KTA is the seventh oldest national honor society and is dedicated to the encouragement and recognition of excellence in scholarship. KTA is awarded to students ranking in the top 10 percent of their junior, senior or graduate classes.

Eight current and former MTSU Journalism students were inducted in 2015: 2015 inductees.

MTSU Poll

The MTSU Poll, sponsored by the Office of Communication Research, is a twice-yearly survey of public attitudes toward government, the media, lifestyles, and other topics of importance. It is run by two School of Journalism faculty, Drs. Ken Blake and Jason Reineke, who teach in the Journalism concentration. Results of the poll receive wide publicity in area newspapers and broadcast media. Poll results are used in the classroom to demonstrate polling techniques and interpretation.
Visit the MTSU Poll Website.