Practitioner-in-Residence: Elizabeth Hartfield ’08, VP of News, CNN

Understanding where news originates and the work that goes into reporting is a critical skill in today’s world. This course seeks to teach students how to verify and report information, and ultimately equip them with the skills to navigate the proliferation of both misinformation and disinformation in our modern age. Students will learn how journalists approach covering complex stories where the truth is not black and white and explore the unintended consequences that can result from social media posts, regardless of whether they are true. 

Writing, critical thinking, questioning and even occasional cold calling are critical skills – students will be asked to do all of these as part of their course of study.

Learning Goals

Students will gain the tools and skills to: 

• Write and report news stories in real time, with confidence in its veracity and sources
• Navigate the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation and verify information they read in the media 
• Interview key information holders
• Analyze how social media posts can quickly become an accepted narrative without any proof

Class Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 10-12 and 1-3

Instructor Bio

Elizabeth Hartfield is an Emmy Award winning journalist with 15 years of experience working in broadcast and digital news. She is currently a Vice President at CNN where she oversees the networks’ coverage of the eastern half of the United States, along with CNN’s business and media coverage. During her time at CNN Elizabeth has overseen reporting efforts for major news stories including the first criminal trial of former President Donald Trump, the unrest on college campuses following the October 7^th attacks, and the 2023 mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. Elizabeth has covered five presidential elections in the field and in the control room, and produced interviews with world leaders including Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and King Abdullah of Jordan. Prior to joining CNN Elizabeth worked as a researcher at CBS News and as an off-air reporter at ABC News covering politics. Elizabeth graduated from Bates College with a degree in Religion in 2008.