JSU Department of Journalism to deliver live 2022 election coverage

November 2, 2022
Media studies students, who have since graduated, Cianna Reeves (left), Clement Gibson and Gabrielle Baker (right) put their interview skills to the test during 2018 election night coverage at the Mississippi e-Center at JSU. (Photo by Rachel James-Terry/JSU)
Media studies students, who have since graduated, Cianna Reeves (left), Clement Gibson and Gabrielle Baker (right) put their interview skills to the test during 2018 election night coverage at the Mississippi e-Center at JSU. Gibson is now a senior media manager for Perfomics, a marketing agency. Reeves worked as a multimedia journalist at WJTV news before pursuing an M.S. at Northwestern University. (Photo by Rachel James-Terry/JSU)

Jackson State University Department of Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) is gearing up for live coverage of the 2022 United States Midterm Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Tune in from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. live on JSUTV, YouTube, and The Sipp.FM (WJSU 88.5 FM).

Election Coverage with Department of Journalism and Media StudiesThis year, Mississippians will elect four U.S. state representatives, one from each of its congressional districts. Coverage will include highly contested congressional and judicial races.

The night’s coverage is a collaborative effort between JMS students and faculty, who will report live from social and multimedia platforms. They will be joined by politicians, analysts, candidates and political scientists who will weigh in on the status of the election.

Confirmed special guests include: JSU Political Science Professor Dr. D’Andra Orey, JSU Political Science Department Chair Dr. Maruice Mangum, and Former Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party Joseph Nosef.

Department Chair Elayne Anthony, Ph.D., says this is an opportunity for JMS students to see the important role they play in the electoral process as citizens and as aspiring media practitioners.

“I want students to be part of the whole process,” Dr. Anthony explained. “I want them to see what happens in real time.”

This is not the department’s first time tackling election coverage in the state. In 2016, JMS students and professors delivered live coverage of the U.S. Presidential Election. Anthony said involvement with election coverage aligns with the department’s mission to prepare students for the workforce.

“This gives students hands-on experience with the electoral process,” Anthony added. “This real-world involvement prepares a new generation of journalists who tell stories that matter.”

Producing the department’s special coverage is Visiting Assistant Professor and JSU alumnae Ashley F.G. Norwood. Norwood is an award-winning multimedia journalist and former television producer at Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Norwood said the opportunity also allows students to apply skills learned in the classroom in real time.

“My desire is for students to walk away with an understanding of newsroom culture and see the effectiveness of truth seeking and truth telling in American politics,” Norwood explains.

Follow JMS on social media platforms for more details and updates during election night!