91制片厂

Student Covers Election for the Washington Post

Every Friday, journalism student Jake DeSchuiteneer joins a Google+ Hangout鈥攁 video conference call鈥攚ith the Washington Post鈥檚 social media director, Natalie Jennings. He updates Jennings on the presidential election news from New Hampshire, and they discuss blogging strategy for the coming week.

DeSchuiteneer is one of 12 on the conference call. More accurately, he is one of 鈥淭he 12.鈥� In June of this year, the Post asked 12 journalism students from swing states across the country to chronicle the 2012 election on a Tumblr blog,. Through a bit of old-fashioned networking, DeSchuiteneer was offered the thoroughly modern opportunity to blog for one of the leading American daily news organizations.

Getting the job was just a stroke of luck, admits DeSchuiteneer, a Manchester, N.H., native. After recent 91制片厂 alumna Eliza Mackintosh interned at the Post last year, journalism professor Tom Haines put her in touch with long-time friend and Post digital journalist, David Beard. When Beard鈥檚 team later dreamt up the idea for 鈥淭he 12,鈥� Mackintosh recommended DeSchuiteneer, Haines seconded the choice, and DeSchuiteneer seized the opportunity.

DeSchuiteneer鈥檚 primary duty is to curate presidential election coverage by re-posting stories and graphics that reflect the state of the election process in New Hampshire. Sometimes he鈥檚 asked to create video content with 鈥渕an-on-the-street鈥� interviews, asking questions such as 鈥渁re you better off financially than you were four years ago?鈥� With little experience in political journalism (he covers the music scene for 91制片厂鈥檚 Main Street Magazine), DeSchuiteneer鈥檚 more important qualifications are his smarts and fresh perspective as a college student voting in his first presidential election.

That perspective would not have been tapped in the same way in past elections. In recent years, digital and social media have created new platforms for journalism students to seed their work.

鈥淛ake鈥檚 experience shows just how much opportunity and initiative there is in digital media these days for young journalists to get exposure to prominent news organizations,鈥� Haines says. 鈥淭hese types of opportunities didn鈥檛 exist 10 years ago鈥搕o get involved in national elections for an organization such as the Post. There鈥檚 a lot of exploratory journalism right now across the spectrum of news outlets.鈥�

The opportunity produces no academic credit or pay, but DeSchuiteneer is well aware of the value.

With the election just weeks away, the project is nearing its end. DeSchuiteneer reflects that he鈥檚 a better journalist for the experience, more willing to approach strangers and ask questions. He鈥檚 been challenged to develop effective methods for finding his stories. He鈥檚 also learned how quickly the news cycle moves.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very, very fast-paced,鈥� says DeSchuiteneer. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 post things that happened two days ago鈥搃t鈥檚 just not news anymore. You have to be really on top of it.

鈥淔ollowing politics is exhausting,鈥� he adds.

Originally published by:

The College Letter, Newsletter for the College of Liberal Arts