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Travis
Fox
Director of Visual Journalism
Visual Journalism
Visual storytelling is thriving. From the bedrock of hundreds of local television stations across the country to cutting edge social and investigative online video, media organizations continue to invest in traditional and new forms of visual journalism.
The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York is at the forefront of this changing industry. In the first semester, our program trains students in the core skills that are consistent across all visual media— good shooting, writing, editing. Fundamentals of Video Reporting also introduces first-semester students to the basics of professional tools like Adobe Premiere editing software to finalize their projects.
Then — in the second and third semesters — visual students can specialize in either Documentary or TV News. In addition to the two main visual specializations, students can choose between about a dozen additional electives, everything from how to make a meme to how to authenticate someone else’s meme.
TV News & Digital Specialization
The TV News Specialization was launched in 2024 due to the growing demand of students who want to enter the exciting world of television and digital journalism. It consists of two 6-credit courses –TV News 1 and TV News 2. TV News 1 in the Spring semester is an introductory course that is open to ALL STUDENTS, even if they don’t choose to take TV News 2 in the Fall. This course consists of an intense workload that teaches students how to write for various forms of television news, particularly how to write for video. Students learn how to pitch news stories and how to interview and put together news reporter packages seen on television and digital streaming platforms. In both TV News 1 and TV News 2, students learn how to present themselves confidently in front of the camera, by reporting in the field and anchoring newscasts in the studio using a teleprompter. They also learn how to build news blocks as a live news producer would. Both courses help provide students with the marketable skills needed to get a job in TV news and digital platforms, both in front of the camera and behind the camera. It is not just for students who want to be on-air. Students learn how to shoot and edit video as a news photographer and editor would, on deadline. The focus of the specialization is to provide students with real world scenarios and equip them with approaches to dealing with the pressures of a breaking news environment and the various personalities they will encounter in newsrooms today.
Documentary
The Documentary Specialization was launched in 2019 to meet the increased demand for documentary style storytelling in traditional news as well as streaming and web platforms. Students complete four documentary courses over the spring and fall semesters and learning how to develop and pitch documentary story ideas, produce character sketches, write grants, budget, address fair use challenges as well as create a distribution strategy for their film. By the end of the program, students will have completed a polished, well-reported short documentary ready for publication or festival screening.
To enroll in this specialization, prospective students can apply to the program during the regular admissions process for the M.A. in Journalism, or transfer into the program via an application process, after completing the first semester.
Visual Journalism Elective Courses
We have visual electives focused on everything from animation to flying drones. One of the most popular groups of electives revolves around photography. Our photo program offers sequential classes in the basics of photojournalism, editing classes with legendary magazine editor Karen Mullarkey, as well as personally-designed independent studies with New York Times photographer Jim Estrin.
Additionally, the school hosts a series of professional photography events. Students have a front row seat at the prestigious New York Portfolio review as well as the American Society of Media Photographers student portfolio review.
In addition to photography, we offer electives in some of the biggest growth areas in journalism today: social video, animation and visual investigations.
Last but not least, we offer Video Features, a 3-credit-hour advanced video class for those students who have opted to take a wide variety of electives instead of the focused Documentary or TV News specializations.
Student and Alumni Work
“Fear in Trump Territory” Produced by Almudena Total, class of 2010, for Univision and recipient of a 2018 Emmy Award.
“Battling Dementia: A Mother and Son’s Incredible Journey,” by Mariana Keller, class of 2011, for NBC News and recipient of a 2018 Emmy Award
Contact Us
Do you have a question about the Visual Journalism specialty? If so, please contact us.
Travis Fox
Director of Visual Journalism
travis.fox@journalism.cuny.edu