{"id":211393,"date":"2020-04-14T10:51:39","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T14:51:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=211393"},"modified":"2020-04-14T11:49:39","modified_gmt":"2020-04-14T15:49:39","slug":"award-winning-montclarion-takes-reporting-digital-during-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2020\/04\/14\/award-winning-montclarion-takes-reporting-digital-during-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"Award-Winning Montclarion Takes Reporting Digital During Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

In mid-March, the editors and staff of The Montclarion<\/em>, the student-run news operation serving Montclair State since 1928, found out they were the recipients of multiple awards<\/a> from the New Jersey Press Foundation\u2019s 2019-20 New Jersey College Newspaper Contest.<\/p>\n

But they had no time to rest on their laurels.<\/p>\n

The COVID-19 outbreak was forcing campus to mostly close down. Editorial offices were shuttered; classes moved online. The vast majority of students and staff wouldn\u2019t be on campus to pick up print copies of the weekly newspaper \u2013 at least through the end of the semester.<\/p>\n

It was time to go full-on digital.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmidst the COVID-19 outbreak, we have been doing our best to crowdsource both administration and student perspectives on the currently developing situation, and have weekly Zoom meetings to check in with our editors to see what points of view they are going to explore each week,\u201d says Heather Berzak, editor-in-chief. \u201cIt\u2019s not an ideal situation, but it\u2019s not impossible, and that is what keeps us going.\u201d<\/p>\n

The news operation continues to pump out stories regularly and post to its website<\/a>, while also making use of social media platforms to get the word out (on Twitter<\/a> and Instagram<\/a> @themontclarion).<\/p>\n

In a recent Montclarion story by Jenna Sundel<\/a>, faculty advisor Tara George, who also heads the Journalism and Television\/Digital Media program, described how the Montclarion <\/em>staff has continued to provide students with up-to-date information on the new coronavirus crisis:<\/p>\n

\u201cEarly on, the students expressed a commitment to covering the story \u2013 but to doing so safely,\u201d George says. \u201cSo they have adapted by using digital tools to do interviews, gather information and get images to avoid face-to-face situations that might put our student journalists at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The adjustment to digital reporting includes logistical, technical and mental challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe now have writers and reporters scattered all over,\u201d says Managing Editor Mackenzie Robertson.<\/p>\n

Photography Editors Olivia Kearns and Ben Caplan note that they can\u2019t hop a shuttle to campus to take photos for stories, but instead have to \u201cbe creative\u201d and rely on graphics, illustrations or archival photos.<\/p>\n

On top of that, News Editor Adrianna Caraballo says both staff and readers are dealing with going to school and\/or working \u201cin a stressful time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201dIt has been really encouraging to see everyone come together as a team to gather the most detailed and accurate information we possibly can, while staying as safe as we can,\u201d says Robertson. \u201cOur primary goal is to still provide our campus community with accurate news regarding Montclair State and the new virus, and I believe we have [been] doing this well.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Heather Berzak, editor-in-chief of themontclairon.org.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

The awards and accolades do help to boost spirits at a difficult time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I found out the great news about our awards, I couldn\u2019t help but smile from ear to ear,\u201d says Berzak. \u201cAll of us are currently experiencing personal struggles due to this situation, and to have this reminder that what we are doing as journalists is paying off means the world to our organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

Says George, \u201cFor me as their advisor, the real victory comes in the fact that these students independently are putting together a multi-platform news operation day in and day out and have shown their commitment to what they do by continuing to publish through the coronavirus crisis using digital tools available to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Montclarion continues reaching its audience via Instagram and Twitter.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/B-qSWLCphhy\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link<\/p>\n

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Campus Voices: How do you feel about the way Montclair State University has handled the COVID-19 crisis? #MSUStudentVoice<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/8hsXnC7qhz<\/a><\/p>\n

— The Montclarion (@TheMontclarion) March 26, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n