School of Journalism & Media

Knox County Library Honors Geidner, ‘The Library that Dolly Built’

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Knox County Library honored journalism and electronic media associate professor Nick Geidner by presenting him with its 2020 Seeds of Imagination Award on Sept. 17 for his work on the Land Grant Films’ documentary “The Library that Dolly Built.”

This documentary takes viewers behind the scenes of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides registered children with one free book each month from when they are born to when they turn five years old.

Geidner, who directed and produced the film, has personal experience with this program.

“My oldest son got the Imagination Library books, and we just … Read more “Knox County Library Honors Geidner, ‘The Library that Dolly Built’”

Jenkins Explores Digital News Trends of Local, Regional Newspapers

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The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism published Assistant Professor Joy Jenkins’ digital news report titled “Publish Less, but Publish Better: Pivoting to Paid in Local News” on Sept. 24. Her research revealed that newspapers need to shift their focus to maintain lasting relationships with their consistent viewers rather than trying to reach more audiences and “fly-by” visitors.

Jenkins, an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Electronic Media at the University of Tennessee, began researching this topic in 2017 while at the Reuters Institute.

“During my time [at the Reuters Institute], my focus was on … Read more “Jenkins Explores Digital News Trends of Local, Regional Newspapers”

Q&A with News21 Fellow Gabriela Szymanowska

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While she was a student in the School of Journalism and Electronic Media, Gabriela Szymanowska (JEM ’20) developed a passion for telling people’s stories that can raise awareness or inspire change on important social issues.

Gabi Szymanowska PortraitShe gained more experience telling those critical stories through writing and photography during her eight-month fellowship with the Carnegie-Knight News21 program, the prestigious multimedia project that brings together the country’s top journalism students and graduates. Because of COVID-19, this year’s 35 News21 fellows from 16 universities collaborated virtually on “Kids Imprisoned,” an investigation into juvenile justice in America.

Szymanowska served as Editor-in-Chief of the Daily … Read more “Q&A with News21 Fellow Gabriela Szymanowska”

Mustafa Oz, Guy Harrison Join JEM Faculty

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The University of Tennessee’s School of Journalism and Electronic Media welcomes two new assistant professors this school year: Dr. Mustafa Oz and Dr. Guy Harrison. As they join the Vol family, they will swap their respective alma mater colors for Tennessee Orange.

Following his time as an assistant professor at the University of Southern Indiana, Oz is making Rocky Top his new home. He obtained his Ph.D. in journalism and a master’s in political communication from the University of Texas at Austin, and a bachelor’s degree in radio, television and cinema from Ege University.

Oz is excited about coming to … Read more “Mustafa Oz, Guy Harrison Join JEM Faculty”

CCI Presents at 2020 AEJMC Conference

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Faculty and graduate students from the University of Tennessee College of Communication and Information (CCI) presented 10 peer-reviewed research papers at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s (AEJMC) annual conference, which was held virtually Aug. 6-9.

In addition, six CCI faculty served as panelists, moderators, and discussants during the conference.

Faculty serving in AEJMC leadership roles include: Amber Roessner, associate professor in the School of Journalism and Electronic Media, who was elected to the Standing Committee on Research, and Joy Jenkins, JEM assistant professor, who is the incoming head of the Magazine Media Division. Moonhee … Read more “CCI Presents at 2020 AEJMC Conference”

Magic of ‘The Library That Dolly Built’

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Working at the Library of Congress in February 2018, the students on the Land Grant Films team began to understand that their project—a documentary about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, tied to the milestone of Parton’s giving away her 100 millionth book—was a much bigger deal than they had realized.

“We were there getting our press passes,” remembers Kayli Martin (’21), the film’s assistant producer. “I thought, ‘This is what it’s like to be a professional journalist.’”

“I had never been to the Library of Congress,” says Abby Bower (’19), a producer and the writer for the project. “The building, number

… Read more “Magic of ‘The Library That Dolly Built’”

Lexie Little (JEM ’18) Places in Hearst Awards for Clarence Brown Story

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Alumna Lexie Little (JEM ’18) recently placed sixth nationally in the Personality/Profile Writing Competition in the 2019-20 William Randolph Hearst Foundation’s Journalism Awards Program. 

Her award-winning feature article, “A Roustabout Career: The Forgotten Celebrity of Clarence Brown,” started as a class assignment but eventually appeared in the Torchbearer, the University of Tennessee’s alumni magazine. 

Little is now pursuing her Master’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. She recently started work on her thesis project, which explores shifts in the collective memory of the Civil War through studying newspaper coverage of … Read more “Lexie Little (JEM ’18) Places in Hearst Awards for Clarence Brown Story”

An Important Message

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May 31, 2020

Dear UTK Journalism and Electronic Media students and alumni,

This has been another gut-wrenching week for black Americans and a tragic reminder of the inequalities and racism that persist in our nation. On our TV screens and social media feeds we have witnessed, first, the devastating image of the death of yet another unarmed black man, this time George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, and, second, footage of the latest round of protests that have erupted around the country. Amid the devastating death toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, the injustices and brutalities of … Read more “An Important Message”

Students Move News Program Online

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UT Today - 2020 Team

When spring semester classes moved online after spring break, School of Journalism and Electronic Media lecturer Melissa Greene-Blye was not sure about the future of UT Today.

The student-led weekly TV news program is produced by Greene-Blye’s advanced multimedia reporting class. From on-camera roles to operating the teleprompter, the course gives students who want to be anchors and reporters an opportunity to run a full news program in the Communication Building’s broadcast studio.

“How do you take an in-studio class virtual?” Greene-Blye asked. “Students in this class are getting anchoring experience for their highlight reel. The students were adamant … Read more “Students Move News Program Online”

Geidner: ‘Goodnight with Dolly’ Off to Great Start

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Goodnight Dolly

With Dolly Parton’s new 10-week bedtime-story series Goodnight with Dolly under way, the honorary UT alumna is doing her part to comfort kids all over the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s according to Associate Professor of Journalism and Electronic Media Nick Geidner, who produced and directed the documentary film The Library That Dolly Built.

“My one-and-a-half-year-old, Sam, who makes some cameos in the film, loved the first episode, especially at the end when Dolly sang ‘I Believe in You,’” Geidner said. “He loved the woo-woo-woos in the song, but I also think he loved it because it is … Read more “Geidner: ‘Goodnight with Dolly’ Off to Great Start”