Newsroom-Classroom Hybrids at Universities: Student Labor and the Journalism Crisis

This book investigates the success of U.S. nonprofit university centers, where students work alongside investigative reporters, from a professional and educational perspective.

Drawing on a detailed investigation of four of the most prominent and renowned centers in the U.S. - the IRP Berkeley (UC Berkeley), the Stabile Center (Columbia University), the Workshop (American University), and the New England CIR (Boston University) - the newsroom role and the classroom role of university nonprofits is examined. Finding the description of a win-win situation - where overstretched newsrooms get extra resources; while students learn from the best - an oversimplification, the author explores learning outcomes, student experiences, financial benefits, and quality of the student output.

Offering an in-depth analysis of the characteristics, challenges and benefits of different forms of journalistic cooperation, this book will be a useful resource to scholars, students and practitioners of journalism, journalism education, and media practice.

Gunhild Ring Olsen is Associate Professor at the Institute of Journalism, Volda University College.