Newsrooms across the state can now hire students from the University of Arizona School of Journalism to help them use emerging storytelling tools such as drones and 360-degree video cameras.

The school has launched Digital News Production and Consultation Services — www.reportingservices.arizona.edu — to offer training and consultation to news organizations that want to certify drone pilots, better understand product development in journalism or begin work with immersive reporting.

“The idea is that we are already teaching our students how to use this technology in class, so we thought it would make sense if we could help local newsrooms around the state at the same time,” said Michael McKisson (above, second from right), a UA journalism professor with multimedia skills who is leading the service. “The really cool thing about it is students will get experience and clips, and will be paid for their work.”

In addition, McKisson was awarded a $35,000 Online News Association challenge grant last month to partner students with the Arizona Daily Star in developing new electronic news products. Read about it here.

McKisson’s team of students has worked with drone videography for more than a year, including along the border in Mexico. Certified and insured, the team follows all FAA rules and has a strict safety protocol, he said. 

Besides drones and 360 cameras, the team also works with sensors that can help newsrooms gather data for stories, such as air or noise pollution.

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