More than 300 students from Southern California attended USC Annenberg's High School Journalism Day on Nov. 18. They had a chance to explore various aspects of journalism — from investigative reporting to broadcast television production. A series of interactive workshops were held throughout the day. There were more than two dozen guest speakers, including Los Angeles Times reporter Robert Lopez, Orange County Register freelance photographer Armando Brown, and Los Angeles Times legal affairs/law enforcement editor Matt Lait.
Fox Sports Radio anchor Isaac Lowenkron and ESPNLosAngeles.com reporter and former Daily Trojan sports editor Arash Markazi, both USC alumni, also spoke at the event. Lowenkron and Markazi discussed their experiences in sports media with adjunct journalism professor Jeff Fellenzer. The three emphasized the importance of digital media, especially Twitter, in modern journalism. Issues in sports journalism, such as statistical accuracy, were also covered. Pressure to meet deadlines and eagerness to get on air has created a “race to be first, rather than the race to be right,” Fellenzer said. The high school students also received a taste of collegiate newspaper production at the "College: the Inside Scoop session." USC Annenberg broadcast journalism and international relations student Lauren Furniss moderated the discussion between the editor in chiefs of USC’s Daily Trojan, UCLA’s Daily Bruin and California State Fullerton's Daily Titan. The group talked about their responsibilities at their newspapers and experiences as campus journalists. They also provided advice on how to capture compelling stories and conduct interviews. “Be tenacious. When you need to get the information, you go get it even if they don’t want to talk to you. You have an obligation to report it,” Lauren Jow of the Daily Bruin said.
At the end of the day, the students had the opportunity to ask questions concerning journalism classes, extracurricular activities and the overall college experience.
