WVU Panel on Elk River Chemical Spill Broadcast As Part of 'West Virginia Talks'

Last week, West Virginia University’s P.I. Reed School of Journalism held a panel on how West Virginia media covered the January 9 chemical spill by Freedom Industries and the subsequent water crisis that affected some 300,000 West Virginians across nine counties.

The event, billed as “From Beats to Tweets: Media Coverage of the Elk River Spill,” gave reporters a chance to provide insight on their coverage of the spill and its aftermath--from using modern technology like Twitter to old-fashioned reporting techniques. WVU School of Journalism professor and former West Virginia Public Broadcasting reporter Emily Corio moderated the panel.

Panelists include:

• Ashton Marra, Statehouse Reporter for West Virginia Public Broadcasting
• Dave Boucher, Statehouse Reporter for The Charleston Daily Mail
• David Gutman, Reporter for The Charleston Gazette
• April Kaull, News Anchor for WOWK-TV
• Roger May, Documentary Photographer Commissioned by The Guardian
• Dr. Eric Waggoner, Professor of Literature and Cultural Studies at West Virginia Wesleyan College