School of Journalism & Media

Documenting Life

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Nick Geidner suspects that if he’d asked his students several years ago if they’d ever watched a documentary, few, if any, would have raised their hands.

So when Land Grant films was born in 2016, Geidner had no idea how wildly successful his documentary program would become.

“We hit at the perfect time,” said Geidner, an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Electronic Media in the College of Communication and Information. “Netflix and cable have really changed the way people think about documentaries. All of a sudden documentary filmmaking is hip and there’s an audience for it.”

Read … Read more “Documenting Life”

Come Hail or High Water: UT Journalism Students Delve into Extreme Weather

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Melanie Faizer

Melanie Faizer, senior lecturer in UT’s College of Communication and Information’s School of Journalism and Electronic Media, encourages her digital news reporting students to sleuth out hard-hitting stories on significant news topics.

This fall their mission is to report on extreme weather issues, and the students are writing about everything from mosquito-borne illnesses to future fire risks in the Smokies to the way tobacco farmers are converting their fields to hemp.

Their stories, with accompanying info-graphics, will be presented online. Associate Professor Nick Geidner’s “Social Journalism” class is creating a Facebook page to promote the work, too.

Last year, Faizer’s … Read more “Come Hail or High Water: UT Journalism Students Delve into Extreme Weather”

Big Orange Welcome to new JEM Professor

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By Chelsea Babin

Every year, the University of Tennessee family grows as new faces appear on  campus. Some are from East Tennessee, while others travel far to call UT their new home. This year, UT’s College of Communication and Information’s School of Journalism & Electronic Media welcomes a new assistant professor.

Joy Jenkins, PhD, originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is now a proud member of the BIG ORANGE family here on Rocky Top.

Jenkins is an alumna of the University of Oklahoma, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in journalism; Oklahoma State University for a Master of Science in … Read more “Big Orange Welcome to new JEM Professor”

New Website Catalogs Eyes on LaFollette Photojournalism Project

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Each spring, professor Rob Heller from UT’s School of Journalism and Electronic Media in the College of Communication and Information takes his advanced photojournalism students to LaFollette, Tennessee, to find and photograph stories in the Campbell County community of 7,000, about 45 miles north of Knoxville.

It’s a ritual that has been reaping rewards for Heller, his students, and the public for more than a quarter of a century. Spring 2020 will mark the 27th anniversary of Eyes on Lafollette.

A new website chronicles the history of the project and the amazing body of work it’s yielded over the years. … Read more “New Website Catalogs Eyes on LaFollette Photojournalism Project”

Luther to Participate in Prestigious TV Academy Foundation Program

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Catherine LutherCatherine Luther, director of the School of Journalism and Electronic Media in the College of Communication and Information, is among 25 professors nationwide chosen to participate in the Television Academy Foundation’s 2018 Faculty Seminar Program.

The faculty fellows will gain the latest information on the television and content development industries from top entertainment professionals during a weeklong seminar in Southern California in November.

“It is such a privilege to have been selected for this wonderful program,” Luther said. “I hope to gain insight into the current undertakings in the entertainment industries and bring that knowledge back to my unit.”

The … Read more “Luther to Participate in Prestigious TV Academy Foundation Program”

JEM student and faculty productions accepted for screening at 2018 film festivals

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Knox Film Fest Header Image

School of Journalism and Electronic Media (JEM) professor Dr. Nick Geidner, and nine former or current JEM students will have their short-form documentaries screened at three upcoming film festivals: the Knox Film Fest https://www.knoxfilmfest.com in Knoxville, TN, the Full Bloom Film Festival http://fullbloomfilmfestival.com in Statesville, NC, and the Immigration Film Festival http://immigrationfilmfest.org in Washington, DC.

The documentaries to be featured at the Knox Film Fest (September 14-16, 2018) are:

  • “7 Days in America,” directed by JEM professor Nick Geidner.
  • “Welcome Home Brother,” directed by Isaac Fowler (JEM ’18) and Tim Morris (JEM ’18).
  • “Abigail’s Picnic,” directed by Brock Zych (JEM
… Read more “JEM student and faculty productions accepted for screening at 2018 film festivals”