SUSI scholars had wonderful visit to major media houses in downtown Phoenix on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. They also had a delightful reception in the evening.
The team of scholars made their first site visit to KPNX-Channel 12 News at 200 East Van Buren Street. They were welcomed by Judd Slivka, the digital content director for the Phoenix NBC news affiliate, KPNX 12. The scholars had an opportunity to tour the studios, meet with editors and reporters, and ask questions about operations.
The next stop that same morning was to the Arizona Republic, housed in the same building. The scholars were met by community relations director Stacy Sullivan, and then Daniel Gonzalez, Senior Reporter. The scholars enjoyed the newsroom tour and meet with editors, journalists, digital content producers. The Republic is the largest newspaper in Arizona, with a weekday subscriber base of around 116,00 (337,000 for the Sunday edition).
The afternoon visit was to Phoenix Basketball (Suns and Mercury) media operations at Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson Street. The team was welcomed and given a tour by a young member of the basketball communications team, Mr. Palmer Black. Scholars enjoyed exclusive access to the teams’ media operations and an opportunity to tour their facilities. The Phoenix Mercury is a champion WNBA (women’s basketball) team, and the Suns are the city’s NBA (men’s) team. They are both headquartered at the downtown arena, known as the Footprint Center.
The final flourish on the day’s delights was the evening welcome reception in the Cronkite School’s First Amendment Forum. Dr. Battinto Batts, dean of ASU’s Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and Dr. Dawn Gilpin, SUSI academic director and assistant dean for research, offered brief welcoming remarks after an official group photo. Cronkite faculty, students, and friends joined the reception and the group, program staff and guests enjoyed a catered Southwestern-style dinner.