Student reporters bring local voices to national election night coverage
As Australians gear up to cast their votes this weekend, Western Sydney University journalism students will be in the thick of the action as they contribute to election night coverage.
The collaborative initiative, which involves 14 universities, will see students work as reporters from their electorates in Western Sydney.
Set to be broadcast live via Vision Australia’s digital stations (opens in a new window) and uploaded to the student journalism website The Junction (opens in a new window), students from Western Sydney University’s School of Humanities and Communication Arts will gain real world experience, as they put their learnings into action, on this historical evening.
Andrea Abi Antoun, Bachelor of Communication student and Parramatta local,said the experience would be invaluable, as the opportunity to harness her theoretical learnings with practical and real-life situations was an exciting prospect.
“I will be reporting live on the election night covering topics such as the rise of independent candidates and their influence on young Western Sydney voters. I will be interviewing candidates from different parties on their stance, along with voters on their expectations of our future politicians,” said Andrea.
“I am quite excited to cover such relevant news as a student journalist, amongst bigger reporters. It's an opportunity I am so grateful to have, and it will help my career as it will give me realistic experience of what it’s like to be a journalist.
“Since my first year, Western Sydney University has set me up with the right skills and knowledge to pursue journalism. I’ve had opportunities to meet real journalists and to scope out the field and apply what I’ve learnt in the real-world.”
In the lead up to the four-hour election night broadcast, students have already published electorate and candidate profiles which are available now on The Junction (opens in a new window).
Journalism Area Convenor Dr Asha Chand, from the School of Humanities and Communication Arts, said students will demonstrate their storytelling capabilities and showcase the hard work they have put into their studies, as well as gain pivotal experience helping to shape their future careers.
“Our students will provide real-time analysis and on the ground interviews as they keep listeners across the country up to date on the latest election information, in what is set to be a close contest,” said Dr Chand.
“This immersive experience will allow students to broaden their understanding of what they have learnt in the classroom, exposing them to one of the most covered topics in the media right now.”
Vision Australia Radio is a trusted radio service that provides accessible news, information and entertainment to those with a print disability.
The Junction is a collaborative publishing platform owned by the Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia that allows universities to work together to produce impactful and creative reportage.
ENDS
1 May 2025
Lauren Coskerie, Senior Media Officer
Photo credit: Adobe Stock
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