ECU journalism students reported for a national program and produced their own live election edition for ECU radio as part of their coverage of the Federal Election.
Covering your first Federal Election is a career milestone for journalists, often only achieved after years of experience.
By contrast, when Australia voted last weekend Edith Cowan University (ECU) journalism students were reporting for a national program, before producing and hosting their own live "Election Edition" of ECU radio.
"You can't really quantify the value that comes out of an experience like that, "said Lara Kemp, a third-year student completing a double degree in politics and journalism.
"I was actually on air live when we got to call the election, and that's an experience I will never forget."
ECU students were among dozens of journalists from universities all around the country working on the live election broadcast, aired on accessible news and information station Vision Australia Radio.
Content also went onto student journalism website The Junction.
"In preparation, the ECU team made TikToks and profiles of half a dozen electorates, and prepared an incredible amount of background content," said Dr Steinar Ellingsen, coordinator of the Bachelor of Journalism and Broadcast Media.
"From early on election day students travelled to polling places in seats across Perth to interview voters and to test the quality of democracy sausages!"
They then edited audio packages and did live crosses into the national broadcast hosted from studios at Swinburne University.
Students simultaneously produced and hosted a special edition of Radio ECU. This included interviews with Politics lecturer Dr Simon Stevens, The West Australian's Chief Reporter Ben Harvey, Channel Nine News Director – and ECU graduate – Michael Genovese and ECU Vice-Chancellor Professor Clare Pollock.
"I was nervous because the studio headset broke while I was interviewing her," said third year student Atikah Hurley.
"But at the same time not, because we've been doing this so often in our journalism units and it's just become second nature to talk to people."
"One of the students said to me, 'I feel like a real journalist!'", said lecturer Andrea Burns, Course Coordinator of the Master of News and Entertainment Media.
"I said, 'that's because you are!'
"They were all buzzing, and it was terrific to see them putting their studies into practice."
Last weekend's election coverage is one example of the many extracurricular opportunities for journalism, communication and media students.
Every Friday this semester you can also hear ECU students live on 89.7FM, as they host the morning show from 9am until midday.
If you're interested in studying a Bachelor of Journalism and Broadcast Media visit the course webpage.
