Web and Social Media
Web and social media are important in student journalism because they help us reach a much bigger audience. They let us share breaking news, connect with readers and promote our stories instantly, making sure our work has a real impact and stays relevant.
Web
As reporting and news progresses from the paper to digital format, the web becomes increasingly important. In news, timeliness is particularly relevant, as stories become insignificant if the story is no longer new. Additionally, story format can enhance a story by showing different elements.
In news, we create a posting schedule to ensure stories are posted within a relevant time period. While this responsibility is shared among the news editors, I have independently created two posting schedules. For these schedules, I analyzed the pitch sheet to identify which stories were the most time-sensitive and prioritized their posting accordingly. This process ensured our website was updated with fresh, timely stories 2-3 times a week. By planning and executing these schedules effectively, I demonstrated my ability to strategically manage content flow, ensuring the website consistently provided up-to-date coverage that engaged readers.
While I primarily write stories, I understand the importance of incorporating audio and visual elements to enhance storytelling. The presentation of a story plays a crucial role in engaging the audience and conveying its message effectively. Most of the stories I cover are well-suited to written formats. However, some stories require a different medium to be appropriately conveyed. For example, I created a video on the school talent show because it was essential to visually showcase the participants' performances. Sound elements were also crucial, allowing the audience to fully experience the talents through both sight and sound. This decision demonstrates my ability to assess a story's needs and select the most effective presentation format to ensure the story resonates with the audience.
I also utilize SNO Flow elements to enhance the presentation of my stories. While I showcase specific examples in my design section, I typically incorporate embedded quotes, inline pictures and immersive half-photos into my stories to elevate the storytelling experience. By integrating these elements, I ensure each story is presented in a format that best complements its content. This demonstrates my ability to assess the needs of a story and choose the most effective elements to enhance its impact.
Social Media
​Social media helps a school newspaper reach a wider audience and share updates in real time. It also boosts engagement, promotes multimedia storytelling and strengthens the newspaper's connection with readers.
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Managing social media for The Southerner is a full-time effort for our Social Media Managing Editor, Hannah Silver. As a news editor, my role in keeping our social media relevant is to provide frequent and timely news articles that can be posted on various outlets and drive traffic to our newspaper. We ensure our Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts are consistently updated with a variety of stories to engage a wider audience. We use these platforms to post story previews, pictures and other engaging content that enhances the storytelling experience. As a student publication, social media is particularly effective for connecting with our audience because many students are highly active on these platforms. When my stories are shared on social media, I always repost them on my Instagram to amplify their reach.
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​On January 20, 2025, the day of a rally protesting Trump's inauguration, I contributed to The Southerner's timely coverage by capturing photos at the event. To ensure the story reached our audience quickly and effectively, I sent the photos to Lifestyle Assistant Managing Editor Mariam Darb, who posted them on The Southerner's Instagram story. I also reposted the content on my personal Instagram account, extending its reach to my followers. This collaboration highlights how I support real-time coverage and assist the social media team.