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Often undervalued, student journalists play a vital role in our communities

A Columbia Journalism student journalist shows off their sign as they cover the events at Hamilton Hall at Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City.
Michael M. Santiago
/
Getty Images North America
A Columbia Journalism student journalist shows off their sign as they cover the events at Hamilton Hall at Columbia University on April 30, 2024 in New York City.

Student journalists have been in the spotlight in recent years. In 2024, amidst massive on-campus protests, people turned to student outlets like Columbia University’s WKCR for the most up to date reporting. But practicing journalism as a student comes with risks.

Those risks have become even more clear in recent weeks. Tufts University graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk was detained in March after the Trump administration revoked her visa. U.S. District Judge William Sessions ordered her release on May 9th, saying the only evidence given for her detention was an op-ed she had written for her school paper.

This hour, we’re talking about the role student journalists play in covering campuses and the communities around them. We discuss the risks student journalists face and they way their role is sometimes overlooked.

GUESTS:

  • : Executive Director of , an organization that supports first amendment rights for student journalists
  • : Editor in Chief of the from spring 2023 to spring 2024
  • : Managing Editor at , an independent student newspaper at the University of Texas at Dallas
  • Macy Hanzlik-Barend: News & Arts director at , Columbia University’s independent student-run radio station

Special thanks to former CT Public intern Kathy Wang for helping produce this episode and hosting the student journalism panel.

Additional production support from former CT Public intern Angelica Gajewski.

Disrupted is available as a podcast on , , , , , or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Kevin Chang Barnum is a producer for ºÚÁÏÐÂÎÅ Radio’s weekly show Disrupted. Kevin grew up in ºÚÁÏÐÂÎÅ and started his radio work at his graduate university’s radio station, KUCI. He has also worked for HRN, a network of food and beverage podcasts.
Dr. Khalilah L. Brown-Dean is an award-winning scholar at Wesleyan University, author, and host of 'Disrupted' on ºÚÁÏÐÂÎÅ.
Robyn Doyon-Aitken is the Deputy Director of Audio Storytelling and Talk Shows
Meg Dalton is the director of audio storytelling and talk shows for ºÚÁÏÐÂÎÅ where she oversees the station’s talk shows and podcasts, including the limited series 'In Absentia'.
Meg Fitzgerald is the senior manager of projects and radio programming.

Funding provided by:
The ºÚÁÏÐÂÎÅ Office of Film, Television and Digital Media