Vermont Business Magazine University-led student statehouse reporting programs provided more than 1,000 news stories to 1,200 media outlets in 17 states, according to a new report from the Center for Community News at the University of Vermont.
“Student reporters are holding legislators accountable as the number of regular statehouse reporters drop,” said Richard Watts, director of the Center for Community News and one of the report’s authors.
“Covering state-level policy and funding decisions are more important than ever,” Watts said. “It is in the nation’s state legislatures where decisions over redistricting, health funding, gun rights, and now abortion rights will be decided.”
While statehouse reporting has been decimated due to cutbacks in the industry, increases in student legislative reporting is one bright spot, the report finds.
The report finds that student statehouse reporting bureaus average about 15 students and are often the largest group of reporters in a statehouse. Key findings include:
- 17 existing university/college-led statehouse reporting efforts.
- Two new starting in the spring of 2023 (Texas and Vermont).
- About 250 student statehouse reporters per year in these states, on average.
- More than 1,000 news stories made available to the public.
- Stories shared on more than 1,200 media outlets in the 17 states.
- 30 states with no institution-led programs at this time.
“Given the critical importance of covering state legislatures and declines in statehouse reporters, if you don’t have one of these programs in your state – you probably should,” Watts said. “They provide students essential hands-on-learning and needed content to media outlets.”
These programs are managed by professional staff and faculty—usually former statehouse reporters—who review all content before it is posted. There is broad interest from media partners across each state. Content is generally made available at no cost and shared with media outlets in the states. On average, 70 media outlets in each state use the student generated content.
The report is focused on programs directed by colleges and universities where student content is made publicly available to news organizations and the state’s citizens—not internships at media outlets. The report is based on more than 20 interviews with program leaders in each of the existing 17 states and the two new ones planned for spring 2023.
About the Center for Community News
The Center’s mission is to document college and university programs where student reporting is contributing to the local news crisis and inspire, encourage and support more. The program is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight fund and matching contributions from the University of Vermont.
About the University of Vermont
Since 1791, the University of Vermont has worked to move humankind forward. UVM’s strengths align with the most pressing needs of our time: the health of our societies and the health of our environment. Our size—large enough to offer a breadth of ideas, resources, and opportunities, yet intimate enough to enable close faculty-student mentorship across all levels of study—allows us to pursue these interconnected issues through cross-disciplinary research and collaboration. Providing an unparalleled educational experience for our students, and ensuring their success, are at the core of what we do. As one of the nation’s first land grant universities, UVM advances Vermont and the broader society through the discovery and application of new knowledge.
12.15.2022. BURLINGTON, Vt. — University of Vermont
