What is Capital News Service?

Even before the spring semester begins, VCU’s
Capital News Service hits the ground running.

Student reporters participating in CNS had their
orientation into the program this past week during the
dregs of holiday intersession classes.

Provided by the VCU School of Mass Communications,
CNS allows enrolled students to participate in a
high-pressure news environment.

This is the first year CNS has operated as two
separately listed classes (MASC 475 and topics course
MASC 491). The program is split into a copy-editing
section and a reporting section.

Adjunct faculty member Mary Ann Owens directs
the copy desk, and associate professor Jeff South
directs the reporters. Student reporters will cover the
legislative process of state government throughout
the 2008 session of the Virginia General Assembly.

CNS accepted about 30 students this year, practically
tripling its typical enrollment numbers. The first
week of CNS resulted in a distribution of 28 stories.

“That was the most prolific start in CNS history,”
South stated in an e-mail.

According to the School of Mass Communications’
Web site, CNS was established in 1994 as an opportunity
for students to cover the General Assembly and
“to give the state’s weekly, twice-weekly and thriceweekly
(newspapers) better access to the Legislature.”

Students also provide graphics and photos for
clients of CNS. Images can be found at http://www.
pbase.com/vcucns.

To the right is a taste of just some of the stories
CNS reporters have written for the 2008 legislative
session.