Taking a dive into political reporting

We want students to understand that journalism isn’t just about reporting — it’s about hard work.”

John Mullen General manager, WRHU-FM

Against the backdrop of a media frenzy at the New Hampshire primary, student journalists from WRHU-FM, Hofstra University’s radio station, embarked on an enlightening journey into the world of political reporting. For students like Glen Cove resident Joseph Pergola, a junior at the university, the primary was more than just a chance to hone his craft — it was a gateway to understanding the intricate interplay among politics, media and public opinion.
Armed with cameras, microphones and journalistic curiosity, Pergola and other students worked polling sites and political hot spots, capturing stories that they hoped would resonate with the WRHU audience. Pergola scored an interview with Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, but his focus remained on Generation Z’s perspective on the crucial 2024 election. He spoke with University of New Hampshire students on the Durham campus, as well as the members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
“What they told us was that (the primary) was distracting from the Middle East tragedy that’s going on, and that’s really what people should be focused on,” Pergola recalled from his interviews. “So that was a very interesting perspective that I wasn’t really planning to hear while I was up there. I figured that a lot of people in New Hampshire would really be focused on that primary. That really caught me off guard.”
The itinerary of the four-day trip was designed to immerse the students in the political process and give them ample opportunities for reporting, and networking with profes