Ball State University student media organizations NewsWatch and NewsLink Indiana have teamed up with MSNBC and will submit stories to air on MSNBC's cable news network in the near future.
NewsLink Indiana staff member Christina Vaughn is excited about the chance to report to a national audience.
"I think it'll make us work harder to put better material out there if something could possibly be on national television," Vaughn, a senior, said.
MSNBC contacted Nancy Carlson, chairwoman of the department of telecommunications, in late August to express its interest in a possible collaboration, Carlson said.
"They must've heard about our program from somebody in the industry," she said.
MSNBC representatives were not able to provide more information.
NewsLink Indiana and NewsWatch are daily-deadline news organizations, Carlson said. NewsLink Indiana is an immersion program and an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m job which allows students to earn credit hours. It airs three-minute news briefs every week Monday through Friday on WIPB. NewsWatch is a volunteer student-run, student-produced organization. It broadcasts live at 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday of every week.
Chris Bavender, managing editor for NewsLink Indiana, said the recognition is positive for the university.
"It just speaks well to Ball State's reputation and to the students that our reputation for turning out quality journalists is out there," Bavender said.
The opportunity to broadcast on a national level coincides with NewsWatch's goal for the year of professionalism, senior Michelle Long, news director for the all-volunteer news group, said.
"It would be good exposure not just for the individual but also for the entire organization itself," she said.
Bavender said NewsWatch is more likely to submit stories to MSNBC because they are more campus-centered than NewsLink Indiana.
"I would love for our students to have their work on MSNBC, but it would have to be a huge campus story for [NewsLink Indiana] to cover it," Bavender said.
Senior Beth Campus, a producer and anchor for NewsWatch, said appearing on national television would be "out of this world."
"People laugh about Ball State sometimes, but I think it would really show what our [Telecommunications] department can do," Campus said.
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