Consider taking Broadcast Journalism, the XPress class

This years XPress Broadcast Journalism class poses in their PBS t-shirts.

Courtesy of Ms. Frances McMahon Ward

This year’s XPress Broadcast Journalism class poses in their PBS t-shirts.

Offered as a year long, first period course, Broadcast Journalism is a really awesome way for you to enhance your writing skills and get involved in Xavier’s own newspaper. Setting your schedule for next year is due by March 1, so if you want to join this class, now is your chance!

Whether you’re a freshman, sophomore or junior, you’re more than welcome to join this class. Many writers in the class had never been involved with XPress or done much prior writing, so don’t worry if you fall into that same boat.

What sets the XPress club apart from the XPress class:

While XPress is a club that meets every few weeks, Broadcast Journalism is a year long elective that focuses on all the aspects that makes the press so interesting. Rather than writing articles at your leisure for XPress to publish, you will pitch your ideas for pieces every other week during our planning session. You can work on different pieces with your friends in the class, experiment with videos, interview classmates and take your writing above and beyond.

One of the largest aspects that sets the Broadcast Journalism class aside from XPress club, is that you can take an editor position in the class. If you apply to be an editor, you have the opportunity to be in charge in one of our six sections (Campus News, Opinions, Faith in Action, Arts & Entertainment, Connect and Sports & Fitness) in our bi-monthly release. As an editor, you can oversee the pieces that fall under your specific category and give your critiques and advice for the section writers. Even if you are not interested in being an editor, you will have just as much fun being a class writer!

Some of the cooler parts of the Broadcast Journalism elective

Broadcast Journalism will be your first class of the day, which is a super great way to start your morning. The environment is relaxed, decked out with comfy bean bags and couches so you can relax when you write. Every two weeks, we have new releases of our online issue, and we often celebrate with little breakfast parties. Bringing in donuts, muffins, cookies or other sweets, we relax and read one another’s articles — which is definitely one of my favorite parts of this class.

Additionally, this class does some pretty cool external stuff, as we are teamed up with PBS Student Reporting Labs. This year, we took a class field trip to ASU Cronkite School of Journalism and tested out our broadcast journalism skills working with cameras, sound and the various other aspects of live stream news.

 

Consider signing up for Broadcast Journalism for the upcoming year and enhance your knowledge is a member of the press!