Student hacks up all night covering the battle for America

Journalism students from the University of Northampton will be covering the results of the American presidential elections live on television, online and social media.

Undergraduates studying Multimedia Journalism and Multimedia Sports Journalism, plus joint honours students, are joining forces with American journalism students from Richmond University, Virginia, to report the unfolding developments of the night.

Northampton’s students have already interviewed a wide range of American voters, from committed Democrats to dyed-in-the-wool Republicans. They’ve spoken to a retired colonel of the US Marines, a poet, teachers, a security guard, a dog handler, a retired lawyer and students. They’ve also interviewed a range of experts on the historical significance, the political battle, the implications for climate change and the future of US/UK relations.

On the night, first, second and third year students will work on hourly TV bulletins, provide a live blog and upload TikTok videos.

They are able to do so because of the extensive measures taken by the University to keep the campus safe. All students will wear masks, the campus television gallery is fitted with sheet plastic screens and equipment will be regularly cleaned during the night.

BA Multimedia Journalism Programme Leader, Kate Ironside, who devised the coverage, said: “It should be an exciting night that the students will not forget. The detailed pandemic arrangements and the amount of large open spaces that we have in our new Creative Hub building means they will be able to work safely throughout the night, putting their learning into practice.

“We have had to fast forward some extra teaching for the first years but they are excited and ready for the challenge.”