Jeff Zucker and SIU students relaunch River Region News with digital-first focus

At a meeting of the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees, River Region News Director Jeff Zucker and student presenters outlined a digital relaunch of River Region News and described plans to move to broadcast on WSIU television in the fall.

Zucker said the program, long regarded as an important training ground for broadcast journalists, declined through departmental changes and effectively ceased during the COVID period. "We started a digital relaunch early this year," he said, adding the immediate aim is to lead with digital platforms and then transition to regular newscasts on WSIU in the fall.

The relaunch centers on students building a functioning newsroom. Zucker told trustees the project gives students practical experience beyond classroom instruction: "They have the ability right now to build a news operation from the ground up," and he described the work as preparing students to enter professional newsrooms with leadership skills. Students demonstrated technical and editorial roles: sophomore Will Elliott described composing the program theme and setting up cameras and lights; a freshman student said River Region gave immediate hands-on opportunities; William Wise, who identified himself as a freshman and the program's chief photographer, said students have overseen equipment and handled on-the-ground reporting, including coverage of a January snowstorm and a press event where River Region reporters asked questions when few others did.

Presenters acknowledged practical challenges. Zucker and students said some equipment needed refurbishment, social platforms presented logistical hurdles (one student cited a two-step authentication problem with an Instagram account), and the team is experimenting with vertical and short-form video to reach younger audiences. Zucker emphasized that the program remains committed to objective reporting: "We're still teaching ... the Walter Cronkite style of journalism," he said, adding that adapting formats does not change the program's editorial standards.

Student-produced posts have drawn audience engagement, Zucker said, noting some Facebook posts reached about 4,000 views after the relaunch. Trustees asked questions about timing and sustainability; presenters said the relaunch began in early 2026 with a digital-first strategy and that a fuller broadcast presence is planned for the coming academic term.

The presentation framed the relaunch as filling a local news gap in Southern Illinois while offering students real-world training. The trustees heard from multiple students who described hands-on roles in reporting, editing and production. The board later moved to close the public meeting for executive-session business.

The board did not record any formal votes related to River Region News in the posted transcript. Trustees and staff encouraged continued engagement and offered congratulations to faculty and students leading the relaunch.