The Support Student Journalists Don’t Always Know They Need

Tools to navigate a complex legal landscape are essential for student newsrooms 

It’s production night. There’s a rhythm to the chaos. Final copy edits are made, the design is locked in place, and page after page, the spread of your newspaper takes form.

In those last minutes, someone catches something that sounds alarm bells. Maybe it’s a quote that reminds you of that libel lesson from your media law class. Or an image that’s been borrowed from a source outside the newsroom. Or a fact that doesn’t have the verification you think it needs.

Luckily, student journalists in situations like this can now turn to the Student Press Freedom Initiative (SPFI), launched by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). As student press counsel and leader of SPFI, I have heard from hundreds of student journalists across the country who have faced stomach-churning scenarios just like the one above. When that deadline draws near, my team and I are coaching student journalists over our free 24/7 legal hotline. 

As a preventative measure, my team also travels the country to provide training to student newsrooms on how to solve the most common legal problems student media face.

The problem I hear most often is that newsroom leaders aren’t sure when it’s actually time to sound the alarm and ask for help. From spotting early signs of censorship to limiting legal liability, newsroom leaders bear the responsibility of protecting their newsrooms. Student press advocates like me are here to help, but student journalists don’t always know they need legal resources.

That’s why SPFI’s educational programming is an essential part of our work. On June 13, student journalists from across the country will be at WHYY Public Media Commons in Philadelphia for our annual Free Press Workshop. The workshop will give students hands-on training with professional journalists, space to collaborate on real reporting projects, and a deeper understanding of why a free press matters in their newsrooms.

The sessions being held ensure student journalists know their rights so they can assert them in the moment. When you’re covering a protest, for example, you have to be able to make decisions quickly. 

“We learned a ton about the rights of student journalists and sources,” said Vincent Porco, incoming Editor-in-Chief at the University of Louisville’s student newspaper, The Cardinal. Porco attended FIRE’s regional Free Press Workshop in Bowling Green, Kentucky. “There was also a lot of really great programming about more niche and situational things like covering protests, immigration, and the current college athletics landscape.” 

After the workshop, Porco was able to get the resources The Cardinal needed to access public records for a story. 

This year’s workshop in Philadelphia includes sessions on public records to help investigative reporters like Porco, along with sessions on intellectual property law, the legal risks of covering protests, and free speech rights of student media. The workshop will also feature a keynote from First Amendment reporter Cate Charron of The Indianapolis Star, who has covered the legal controversies affecting student journalists at institutions like Purdue University and Indiana University. 

Student journalists operate in a complex legal landscape, but they don’t have to navigate it alone. Calling FIRE’s 24/7 free hotline at 215-717-FIRE and attending programming like the Free Press Workshop will give student journalists the tools they need to confront the legal problems that come with the job. 

Written by Marie McMullan