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A woman with long, dark hair and a slight smile is looking at the camera. She has dark eyes accented by dark eyeliner and lipstick, wearing a black-and-white striped shirt. The plain, light-colored background contrasts with her bold look. Her confidence hints at a future in Berkeley Journalism.

Alumni Portrait: Zainab Khan

March 2, 2021

Few people truly understand the way algorithms on the internet work. How they recommend content and draw people in; or how to use them to maximize audience engagement and grow a following. But for Zainab Khan, they’re her expertise. A self-described “student of the internet,” Khan spent years in front of a glowing screen for…

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A person with short curly hair is sitting indoors, wearing a green and yellow plaid shirt. The background features large windows and exposed brick walls, giving the setting a modern and bright appearance—reminiscent of a Berkeley Journalism classroom.

IRP reporter reflects on “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez”

March 1, 2021

One year ago, the searing six-part docuseries “The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” began streaming on Netflix. The film, based on reporting by Garrett Therolf of Berkeley Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program (IRP), examines the brutal 2013 death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez by his mother and her boyfriend and how misguided policies fail to protect children in peril. Brian Knappenberger is the…

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A close-up image of several golden Oscar statuettes standing in rows. The statuettes have a human figure design with arms crossed over their chest, mounted on a black base, and are highly reflective under the light. The background is out of focus, reminiscent of the prestigious awards often covered by Berkeley Journalism.

Berkeley Journalism alums on “Crip Camp” team shortlisted for Best Feature Documentary at Academy Awards

February 11, 2021

  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced shortlists in nine categories for the 93rd Academy Awards. In this most prized of lists is “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” competing for Best Documentary Feature.  “Crip Camp,” which premiered on Netflix, is about a groundbreaking summer camp in the Catskills in the 1970s—”a…

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An image depicts a police officer in uniform with a hat and badge, but instead of a discernible face, it features a collage of blurred, different faces—a surreal portrayal that echoes themes often explored in Berkeley Journalism. The background consists of dark, stormy clouds.

“California’s Criminal Cops” wins investigative reporting, public service awards from Society of Professional Journalists

February 10, 2021

A six-month investigation of California police officers with criminal records, led by Berkeley Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program (IRP) and the Bay Area News Group (BANG), was honored this month by the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. “California’s Criminal Cops,” which exposed hundreds of current and former police officers with rap sheets across the…

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A collage of eight individual headshots, featuring an equal distribution of men and women with varying expressions and appearances. Each person is captured from the shoulders up, set against simple and varied backgrounds, exemplifying the diverse talent emerging from Berkeley Journalism.

Alums feature at Sundance Film Festival

February 5, 2021

Eight Berkeley Journalism alumni featured prominently at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Four were producers on new cinema vérité documentaries on education equity, one a story producer and editor on a documentary short about a Native Hawaiian queer slam poet, and two pushed boundaries presenting live performances and one recently joined the Sundance Institute as…

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A large crowd of people, many wearing red hats and holding American flags, gather for a protest. Signs include messages like "Liar of the Deceived, Home of the Enslaved" and "Trump Won." The atmosphere appears tense with a mix of expressions among the people, as Berkeley Journalism covers the scene.

Prof. Mark Danner recounts his experience at the Capitol riot

January 21, 2021

Prof. Mark Danner recently wrote a remarkable story ‘Be Ready to Fight’ documenting his experience in Washington on January 6 attending the Trump rally and the attack on the Capitol that followed. Prof. Danner holds a joint appointment at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and the Department of English.  Mark Danner has written about foreign affairs and American politics for more than…

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A man in a dark overcoat speaks to a group of reporters with cameras and microphones outside a large white building. Among the crowd, Berkeley Journalism students eagerly extend their devices towards him, while another person stands in the background near the building entrance.

Berkeley Journalism alumni discuss covering extraordinary election

October 28, 2020

Every four years, voices in the political industrial complex proclaim the upcoming presidential election the most important of our lives — perhaps even the most important since some long-ago marker like the Civil War. Each election, we’re told, is a fight for the very soul of America!  This year is certainly no different, but what…

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Image of Michelle Goldberg; short brown hair and black top with no sleeves.

Alumni Portrait: New York Times Columnist Michelle Goldberg

October 5, 2020

Michelle Goldberg got her first up-close encounter with what she calls “rightwing postmodernism” covering the 2004 presidential campaign in Ohio. Out on the streets, with all his canvassers, it was easy to think John Kerry might have had the upper hand. But Goldberg found “the bones of what the George W. Bush turnout operation was…

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A collage of 24 headshots featuring diverse individuals, including a mix of men and women from various ethnic backgrounds, each with different expressions and settings. The subjects range from professional to casual environments, capturing the spirit of Berkeley Journalism's inclusive storytelling.

Berkeley Journalism community recognized at 2020 News & Documentary Emmy Awards

September 25, 2020

The 41st Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards were announced this week. In all, more than 20 Berkeley Journalism alumni were recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the highest number in our community since 2016.  Closest to home, alumna and former instructor Daffodil Altan (‘04) and Berkeley Journalism Prof. and alum…

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A woman with curly dark red hair, reminiscent of a passionate Berkeley Journalism student, smiles warmly. She is wearing hoop earrings and a mesh black top. The background is a plain grey color.

Alumni Portrait: Bestselling Author Terry McMillan

September 10, 2020

At the outset of her undergraduate time at UC Berkeley, Terry McMillan did not have a major. When it came time to declare, she told a school counselor that she wanted to do sociology. “Why?” he asked. “I said, ‘I care about the human race,’” she remembers replying, “‘and how we treat each other and,…

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