Nov. 12 marked the beginning of a new era in journalism at Clemson. Top representatives gathered at the Hendrix Student Center as both Clemson University and WYFF Channel 4 held a kickoff event to celebrate their new partnership.
The innovative news bureau, located on the third floor of Hendrix, will allow Clemson students to interact with experienced news professionals.
This relationship is rare on both a state and national scale. Clemson is the only university in South Carolina to feature an on-campus news bureau occupied by an outside media organization. WYFF 4 is the top station in South Carolina’s largest media market, covering stories across the Upstate, Western North Carolina and parts of Georgia.
“Thanks to this partnership, Clemson students will get a view of the current media landscape that no other institution in the state can provide,” Joseph Mazer, chair of Clemson’s communication department, said. “The student media experience at Clemson will become much richer when it happens alongside seasoned professionals reporting right from our campus on breaking and general news across the state.”
The new bureau will allow WYFF 4 to cover events happening in and around Clemson University. Spaces have also been created in order for breaking news to be reported live from the third floor of the Hendrix Student Center.
WYFF shared that it wanted a bureau that would allow it to better connect with its viewers in Pickens County and other nearby communities, while gaining access to experts on any given topic at Clemson.
Clemson is also home to a Social Media Listening Center, which WYFF has used to capture the sentiment of its viewers on everything from college football to politics.
Wanda Johnson, director of student media at Clemson, knows that this partnership will serve as a beneficial resource for students that plan on attaining a career in many forms of journalism.
“This partnership better positions our students for 21st-century journalism and communication as the field has broadened significantly with positions in news, digital news, engineering, computer science, sales, marketing, promotions, public affairs and many others,” said Johnson.
“Our students are uniquely positioned to see news productions in real-time and to ask questions of WYFF talent, while posturing for positions in media. Students are able to take what they learn in the classroom to Tiger Media and now to shadow and internship roles.”
With regard to the journalism field, the change could prove monumental for Clemson and its students. This will not only allow student journalists the opportunity to challenge themselves but also provide a platform for their talents to be exposed on a large stage.