Ride-alongs with police officers can be effective in giving reporter's an insider's view of the police department and its operations, but there are ethical and legal considerations student journalists should be aware of before embarking on one.
Tag: Fall 2010
Winning the battle, losing the war
Although it has been three years since Ocean County College settled a First Amendment lawsuit brought by three student journalists, former staff members claim most of the settlement terms were never met.
Handling hate speech
Journalists are trained to value and defend freedom of speech for everyone, even those with extreme views whose opinions may offend listeners. But when speakers use the student media to mock or criticize minority groups, student journalists have faced backlash from their campuses that can put college financial support at risk.
Students are forced to defend their journalistic work before student conduct boards and judicial hearings
College journalists are accustomed to facing angry letters, nasty e-mails and dirty looks from the campus officials they cover. But lately, some have been faced with a much more intimidating response to their newsgathering: disciplinary charges before student conduct boards.