Broadcast Journalism

We were never originally a broadcast newspaper (That was all Newton North High School TV Media, which was a few doors down the hallway from us). But during the teacher’s strike, someone in the newsroom casually suggested that we interview teachers for our Instagram story. I thought, why not? The more news, the better.

The footage wasn’t perfect—shaky, sometimes too loud or too quiet—but it felt real. We posted quick clips on Instagram stories, showing teachers leading chants, students holding handmade signs, and even short, impromptu interviews. I didn’t overthink it. I just hit record.

But people actually watched and liked our stories. I didn’t really know what I was doing. I’d never been trained in video journalism, and I definitely wasn’t an expert. Most of it was pure trial and error. I needed to figure out how to hold my phone steady, google quick tips on how to make the audio clearer, and mess around with basic editing apps to clean up the clips just enough. But with broadcasting, people just wanted to see what was happening and experience it as it unfolds.

Because the strike coverage worked so well, we started doing the same for school sports games. After big matches, we filmed short post-game interviews with student-athletes—nothing fancy, just quick clips capturing their excitement or frustration in the moment. We posted highlight reels, short recaps, and even behind-the-scenes moments. Again, people actually engaged. It was clear that seeing the faces and hearing the voices behind the stories made it more personal.

I’m not going to pretend I transformed our newspaper into a broadcast outlet or that I mastered video journalism because I didn’t. But I learned that sometimes it’s worth stepping outside of what you know, even if you feel unprepared. Trying something new doesn’t have to be perfect to make an impact. For me, it was about being willing to experiment and realizing that even simple, imperfect changes could help bring people closer to the stories we were telling.