Christine Schiavo joins IRP as local news editor

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  (Berkeley, CA) — We’re pleased to announce that Christine Schiavo is joining Berkeley Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program as local news editor. In this new role, Schiavo will be leading coverage of Berkeley Journalism’s two community news sites,  Richmond Confidential and Oakland North. She will work closely with journalism students to produce a broad range…

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Rapid vaccine rollout at California nursing homes raises concern

A clear vial with a silver cap is labeled “COVID-19 Vaccine.” The label indicates it contains five doses of 0.3 mL each. The vial, which appears ready for its close-up, stands upright on a white surface, reminiscent of a meticulously framed shot from Berkeley Journalism.

This story appeared in The Mercury News on Jan. 7. 2021 By Anne Marshall-Chalmers (’22) As coronavirus vaccines arrive at California nursing homes and long-term care facilities, many residents will be eager to receive a vaccine that promises to finally ease the months of grief and isolation. Before that can happen, though, facilities must obtain consent from…

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With COVID-19 concerns, anxious families eye in-home senior care

Two women wearing face masks walk outside on a sunny day. One wears a colorful floral dress, and the other wears a white shirt over a black dress with white polka dots. Smiling and engaged in conversation, surrounded by greenery, they discuss their latest Berkeley Journalism project.

Note: To respect the privacy of the family in this story, and because of sensitivity around their work visa, we are not using their full names. (Stock photo of a caregiver and her client from verbaska_studio) Listen to the radio version of this story, which was broadcast on The California Report Magazine here. By Brett…

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When Police Violence is a Dog Bite

Digital artwork of a wolf with its mouth open in a growling posture, surrounded by glitch-like effects and geometric shapes, all depicted in shades of black and dark green. This piece channels the intensity and raw emotion akin to powerful storytelling in Berkeley Journalism.

An Alabama man killed by a K-9 officer was one of thousands of Americans bitten by police dogs every year. Few ever get justice.   By ABBIE VANSICKLE, CHALLEN STEPHENS, RYAN MARTIN, DANA BROZOST-KELLEHER AND ANDREW FAN 10.02.2020 The tiny pink house was pretty much empty. And run-down and dark, since the electricity had been shut…

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J298 – Developing your Blockbuster Investigative Story

Your Blockbuster Investigation This is an intense year-long seminar that aims to help students conceive, execute and publish ambitious investigative journalism with the full support of the Investigative Reporting Program. Students are challenged to identify an investigative project they are passionate about and then they are given the editing, mentoring and financial support to do…

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J260 Investigative Reporting Seminar

Investigative journalism, when done right, can set the world on a different course. It can rewrite policies, send people to prison, exonerate the innocent, protect the vulnerable and change the way we think about our communities. It can save lives. In this course, we will work together to set you on a path to committing…

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They’re children at risk of abuse, and their caseworkers are stuck home

A modern office building stands tall amidst palm trees, featuring a mix of rectangular glass windows and concrete facade. The sky is dimly lit, suggesting dusk or dawn, and the American flag is visible atop the building—a scene that could easily inspire a piece from Berkeley Journalism.

This story appeared on page one of The New York Times on August 7, 2020 By Garrett Therolf, Daniel Lempres and Aksaule Alzhan TOLLHOUSE, Calif. — In February, the child abuse hotline for Tollhouse, a small community in the Central Valley, received the first of several tips raising urgent concerns about the well-being of twin infant boys. Child…

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COVID’s Hidden Toll

A group of farm workers, slightly out of focus, are picking leafy green vegetables in a field. The foreground features a close-up of the vibrant green crops. The background is blurred, showing silhouettes of people and structures, suggesting an early morning or late afternoon setting—a scene worthy of Berkeley Journalism.

Watch Here July 21, 2020 While millions of Americans have been sheltering in place, FRONTLINE has been investigating the hidden toll of the pandemic of those who cannot stay home: Agricultural workers, many of whom are undocumented immigrants, who have been deemed essential to the nation’s food supply. In COVID’s Hidden Toll, numerous farmworkers speak…

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J298 – Developing your Blockbuster Investigative Story

Your Blockbuster Investigation This is an intense year-long seminar that aims to help students conceive, execute and publish ambitious investigative journalism with the full support of the Investigative Reporting Program. Students are challenged to identify an investigative project they are passionate about and then they are given the editing, mentoring and financial support to do…

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