Macon Magazine

44 maconmagazine.com | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2023 "I knew it would enable me to learn everything I could — in all areas of media — instead of just having to focus on one discipline like I might have had to at a different university," she said. "The Macon Newsroom allows space for young journalists to grow, and our professors encourage us to take risks and step outside the box." Publishing in the Macon Newsroom allows Mercer's journalism students the opportunity to truly dig into the Macon community, added Meg Donahue, project specialist at the CCJ. "In sourcing and writing their stories, the students get a sense of place and context within Macon," she said. "Understanding place and broader context are essential to a journalist whose job is to report stories about that place." A relatively new kid on the block, The Macon Newsroom launched in spring 2020. Blankenship recalled the Newsroom's beginnings. "In 2018 and 2019 I saw that our local news ecosystem was suffering as newsrooms got smaller and some basic accountability coverage contracted," she explained. At the time, the CCJ had a grant with the James L. and John S. Knight Foundation; Blankenship asked whether she might reallocate some of the money to hire a civic journalism fellow who could focus on filling some of the gaps in local news coverage. "Specifically, I was looking at the more than 40 boards, commissions, and agencies that weren't receiving routine media coverage," she said. "I wanted to focus initially on the ones that had the most power when it came to how tax dollars might be spent: the Macon Water Authority, Macon-Bibb Industrial Authority, Macon-Bibb Urban Development Authority, Macon Housing, Planning & Zoning, and Housing Court." The Knight Foundation approved Blankenship's request, and in September 2019, she hired Liz Fabian, veteran multimedia journalist. Additional funding from the Peyton Anderson Foundation in May 2021 allowed the hiring of a second full-time reporting fellow, Laura Corley, a former Mercer student and CCJ graduate. HONESTLY, CCJ HAS CHANGED MY LIFE AND THE PATH I'M TAKING. NOW I KNOW I WANT TO BE A PHOTOJOURNALIST..." — LARRY SULLIVAN " hen the Center for Collaborative Journalism (CCJ) was launched in 2011 as a unique community media team combining Mercer University's liberal arts-based journalism and media studies programs with the professional expertise of The Telegraph, Georgia Public Broadcasting, and 13WMAZ, it set out to transform a city which had obvious geographic, educational, and cultural advantages. It sought improvement in the areas of attachment, openness, economic strength, and an overall sense of community. The partnerships Mercer maintains with these professional news organizations enable its journalism program to stand out from others by offering students experience in television, radio, print, and online media. Perhaps one of the CCJ's greatest proving grounds is The Macon Newsroom, which is treated as one of the partners in the Center's collaborative and serves Mercer's journalism students by operating as a vehicle for publication of their work, also allowing for interaction with journalists. "It's also a good learning lab for students to experience what goes into making news and making a nonprofit newsroom work," explained Debbie R. Blankenship, director of the CCJ and editor of the Newsroom. Larry Sullivan II, a Mercer senior with a double major in journalism and communication with a minor in media studies, said he appreciates the connections The Macon Newsroom affords him. The Augusta native has enjoyed practicums with the Newsroom, which are mini-internships that allowed him to work closely with CCJ partners one semester at a time. Currently a photo-collaborator for the Macon Telegraph, Sullivan appreciates the opportunity to gain real-world experience through his work with the CCJ and its partners. "Honestly, CCJ has changed my life and the path I'm taking," Sullivan explained. "Before my practicums, I had no idea what I wanted to do after college, but now I know I want to be a photojournalist." Sullivan cited unique experiences and opportunities to meet people and enter circles he might not otherwise have had. "I've met NFL players, Senator Jon Ossoff, Miss Georgia, and was even asked to photograph a murder trial," he said. Most importantly, though, he's been offered the opportunity to experience a wide range of journalistic options. "At the Newsroom, I got to produce articles and newsletters and discovered how much I enjoy taking photos and telling stories, so these experiences gave me the first inkling that I wanted to be a photojournalist," Sullivan said. Mary Helene Hall, a senior with a double major in journalism and women's and gender studies from Fairhope, Alabama, said she chose to attend Mercer largely because of the CCJ. "I had been to Camp CCJ, a summer camp for high school students interested in journalism, and it was my first exposure to Mercer," she recalled. "We spent a week learning to tell stories in new ways; little did I know that I was learning from people who would eventually be my professors." The CCJ and its partnerships with local newsrooms drew Hall to Mercer, who recognized the value of the education and exposure. W RIGHT: LIZ FABIAN AND DEBBIE R. BLANKENSHIP

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