More than 70 students from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's College of Journalism and Mass Communications provided election coverage, Nov. 5.
Students reported on Election Day as part of the college's Experience Lab programs Nebraska Nightly, 90.3 KRNU, Nebraska News Service and Production House. CoJMC's Mosaic course, which reports on and for Lincoln's refugee communities and the Open Lens Camera Club, which provides a place for students interested in photography and videography to be creative, also participated.
Nebraska Nightly and 90.3 KRNU stationed field reporters in La Vista, Omaha and Bellevue to cover watch parties. Nebraska Nightly students launched their live telecast at 7:30 p.m. and KRNU students began their live broadcast at 8 p.m.
Nebraska News Service students published and updated a live Election Day blog and launched NNS Now, a livestream social media program. Production House students provided social media content for each Experience Lab area and gathered footage of students reporting at Andersen Hall and in the field.
Mosaic students interviewed new Americans in Omaha and Lincoln to gauge their reactions to voting, and Open Lens Camera Club members provided comprehensive photographic coverage across the state. Articles and photo stories from both groups are posted to the NNS election day blog.
Nebraska Nightly and NNS students also partnered with the newly established UNL Smart-Lab, which gauged the public's Election Day experience by using software to monitor real-time conversations on Twitter/X. After identifying key topics, Smart-Lab faculty and students were able to dig into poll conditions and reactions to early results.
Watch the Nebraska Nightly livestream: https://www.youtube.com/live/_W0Edo0FukQ?si=7_WZCOKixHaeVn6a
See the Nebraska News Service Election Day blog: https://www.nebraskanewsservice.net/news/welcome-to-live-coverage-of-election-2024/article_a58d17be-99df-11ef-8915-cfa5967af4bd.html
The unpredictable nature of election coverage tested the student's ability to adapt quickly. Harmon Johnsen, one of the anchors and producers for Nebraska Nightly, talked about staying calm under pressure.
"We went into the show with a great plan, but when our first live element did not work, things got very hectic," Johnsen said. "Being able to overcome that adversity while on the air was very beneficial for my future career."
Kelsey Bentzinger, a member of the Production House team, noticed the importance of collaboration throughout the evening.
"I learned the importance of all hands on deck—if someone needs help and you are available, you should be able to jump in and help them, no questions asked," Bentzinger said. "We were all working together towards the same goal- to produce high quality, original content."
For Open Lens Camera Club member Brady Cornelius, election night was his first time out in the field, and he was challenged to create captions and meet deadlines in real time. For Cornelius, his photography assignment at the Dan Osborn watch party provided an eye-opening look into the community's investment in election outcomes.
"When Osborn lost, there was an immediate flip in the atmosphere of the room, from liveliness to a more quiet, heartbroken crowd," Cornelius said. "Osborne showed up two hours after his expected time, but he was still met with tons of energy and smiles from the people who believed in him."
Field reporter Dane Lyons was also stationed at the Osborn watch party as part of the Nebraska Nightly crew. He said he was struck by the number of young attendees invested in the outcome of the national and local elections.
"Politics are the future of America, and it affects everyone, so to see younger generations invested in their own futures felt good," Lyons said.
Both Cornelius and Lyons spoke about the value of networking and learning from people in the field.
"When getting hands-on experience, you meet others who work in the positions you want to be in," Cornelius said. "They can give you insider tips on what they have learned over their many years of development."
"To me, covering the watch party was a lot about understanding how to properly network and how having good relationships in this field can set you up for success," Lyons said. "Many other reporters, as well as staff, were kind in assisting my team with setup, directions, and other needs throughout the night."
Damon Bennett, who analyzed Nebraska's ballot initiatives, sees participating in election coverage as a great opportunity to learn on the job.
"I learned that there is a lot more to report on than just the numbers—there are facts, there are stories, and there are people that these issues will affect long after our coverage is over," Bennett said. "I wish every student in this college could get hands-on experience with election coverage; it's a unique experience that throws you into one of the most important processes in the world."
Alaina Tomesh, a social media and streaming anchor for NNS Now, said she appreciated that she was able to collaborate with students she otherwise might not have worked with in her major.
"I've had so many awesome opportunities within the J school," Tomesh said. "I think events like election night are so important for students because they bring students into the newsroom, into new roles and challenge us to try new ideas and components in our content."
Through teamwork, problem-solving and live reporting experience, students gained the skills and confidence needed to enter the ever-evolving media landscape and journalism and mass communications industries.
