The following lesson activities are based on the article “Millennial Reporters Grab the Campaign-Trail Spotlight.”
Before Reading
What do you know about careers in journalism? Read the United States Department of Labor’s summary and description of the duties of reporters, correspondents and broadcast news analysts.
After Reading
Answer the questions, supporting your responses by citing evidence from the text.
1. How does the article explain that 20-something reporters may be “uniquely prepared” to cover the current presidential campaign?
2. What traits do these young reporters tend to have?
3. Who is Zeke J. Miller? To what does he compare covering a presidential campaign?
4. What is daily life like for these reporters, according to the article?
5. What advantages and disadvantages do reporters covering their first presidential election have?
6. What role has social media played in the changes in reporting from the campaign trail?
Going Further
In the Public Editor column “Everything I Know About Journalism in 395 Words,” Margaret Sullivan writes about advice she gave her students at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. Read the entire column, noting what resonates — and what does not — with how the article portrays young reporters working on the current presidential election describe their jobs, their lives, and what joys and pressures come with their assignment.
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