BY ZENENA MOGUEL
ST. PETERSBURG – At University of South Florida St. Petersburg’s (USFSP) Department of Journalism & Media Studies exists a class that prepares students for the path of professional journalism. Unless you’re a part of this department, you probably have not heard of Neighborhood News Bureau (NNB). To many it’s just another required course, but it carries a different meaning to those who have taken it. To those ‘it is a newsroom.’
“Neighborhood News Bureau is a mix. It’s not just a class,” said Dr. Bernardo Motta. “They actually work like they were working in a newsroom. They do their assignments just like they would do in a newsroom for publication.”
Founded by George Killenberg and late Robert Dardenne, NNB originated in 2001, but officially opened its offices in March 2006 in the community it continues to serve – Midtown, St. Petersburg. Just south of Downtown St. Petersburg, Midtown was once the heart of the black community. Though trying to get revitalized, the media as well as the government have always overlooked the community. NNB strives to serve this community and uncover the stories that still need to be discovered.
“Midtown is everything for NNB. Without Midtown, we don’t have NNB,” said Motta. “The stories we tell are stories that aren’t usually told in mainstream media. There’re so many stories that are missing and nobody is telling those stories. That’s what NNB does,” Motta continued. “We’re basically filling that gap.”
Indhira Acosta Suero, NNB reporter. Click on the picture to read her story[sg_popup id=”2″][/sg_popup]
Lorien Mattiacci, NNB reporter. Click on the picture to read her story. [sg_popup id=”4″][/sg_popup] |
Eric Vaughan, NNB reporter. Click on the picture to read his story.
[sg_popup id=”3″][/sg_popup] Danielle Von Dreele, NNB reporter. Click on the picture to read her story [sg_popup id=”1″][/sg_popup] |
Undergraduate student Danielle Von Dreele and graduate students Indhira Suero Acosta, Eric Vaughan, and Lorien Mattiacci shared their experiences in NNB and believes NNB has prepared them for their future in journalism.
NNB is completely staffed by both undergraduate and graduate students and the faculty of the department. The newsroom aims to provide real-life experiences to young journalists and reporters while challenging the students to step out of their comfort zones.
“They have to pitch their stories. They have to come up with their own ideas and produce the stories for different types of media,” said Motta. “Jared [NNB’s Graduate Assistant] and I basically work more as the editors.”
Apart from getting out into the real world, these students get to hear from media professionals in the field. A number of award-winning media professionals shared experiences and knowledge with NNB students during the semester. The list includes Lara Cerri (photojournalist at the Tampa Bay Times), Michael LaForgia (investigative journalist at the Tampa Bay Times), Adam Playford (director of data and enterprise at the Tampa Bay Times), Mary Shedden (news director at WUSF), Craig Pittman (environmental journalist at the Tampa Bay Times) and Cynthia Barnett (environmental journalist and book author), and Kate Bradshaw (news and politics editor at the Creative Loafing Tampa).
After all, NNB is also building relationships with the mainstream publications like Creative Loafing and The Weekly Challenger. Multiple students have been published this semester, and for some it was their very first published work.
“I was so excited,” said graduate student, Lorien Mattiacci. “This was my first non-academic publication.”
From education, arts, events, and even the city council election of St. Petersburg, the impact NNB is having on the community is significant in building relationships with entrepreneurs, teachers, politicians, and members of the community.
Elihu Brayboy, entrepreneur and business owner, remembers the time he got involved with an article about the history of the Mercy Hospital in Midtown by a NNB student.
“The great thing that happen from it (article) was I got a phone call from a Dr. Crist, who happens to be Governor Charlie Crist father, who said he spent time at the Mercy Hospital as an intern when he first got out of med school,” said Brayboy. “He knew my mother and the doctor that was in the story and he knew a lot of other things. As a result, he was willing to meet with the student to talk more about the history of the Mercy Hospital from his perspective,” Brayboy continued. “So that is a phenomenal thing that would never have happened without the student assignment you guys are doing about the community.”
NNB students are working with many others like Brayboy who are being impacted by the stories these students are telling.
“It is very important for them (NNB students) to keep digging stories out which may seem to be redundant, but it’s not redundant, ” said Brayboy.
While NNB students are working on covering the Midtown community, the Midtown community, in turn, is having an impact in these students’ lives. Listen to NNB student, Clarence Ford, as he shared his story on how NNB has made him become a more active member of the Midtown community. Ford is also planning on joining the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
One would think this is an actual newsroom, and in reality it is. Each student selects a beat of his or her own interest preparing them for their future in journalism.