#MeetOurAlumni: Manuel Scheuernstuhl, ‘25 M.S.

What does a day of reporting or storytelling look like for you, and what work are you most proud of? 

I am part of the BBC Global Features team. I pitch, produce, host, and edit video stories for our site BBC.com and our social channels. Usually, I work on a couple of video stories in parallel. One project might be in the pitching phase, another just filmed, and another ready for publishing. My work stretches from culture to politics, such as reporting on Mamdani’s mayoral race in New York to the roots of the Pennsylvania Dutch. 

A recent story I worked on and I am proud of is this video report on a photographer who tries to capture the perfect photo of a solar eclipse on the Glacier Leones in Patagonia. As a producer, I was lucky to hear about Liam Man, a UK-based photographer, who organized a trip to Chile in connection to the UN glacier preservation year. I pitched his story to my team, conducted the interview with him, and sourced his video material that wasn’t published anywhere else. His team did such amazing work, and I was honored to share their visually beautiful story with the world. The video got featured on the BBC front page and was shared in different languages across channels, generating millions of views for the BBC in English, Spanish, Russian, Hindi and more. In times of global political turmoil, the story gives people a chance to escape and to focus on the beauty of our existence.

What’s the most unexpected place your CJS degree has taken you, geographically or professionally?

Last year, I got press accreditation for the United Nations General Assembly and the chance to report when heads of state from all over the world flew in to discuss the most pressing global issues. On the first day, I had the chance to join a small press conference held by President Zelenskyy. He debriefed about his meeting with President Trump and the current developments of the war in Ukraine. I filmed the press conference and sent it to our BBC news division in Washington. This was a memorable experience.

What does being a Columbia Journalism School alum mean to you today?

Columbia Journalism School gave me space to work on my ideas, debate about journalism, and build a network of inspiring leaders. It’s quite exciting when you realize that you meet other J-school alumni when you are out reporting. At Zoran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign rally, the Young Republican Gala, or at the United Nations General Assembly, on all those assignments, I met colleagues reporting as well. It is a great feeling when you know you have your former colleagues from the J-school around. Being a Columbia Journalism School alum means having a strong foundation for working in the media industry, as well as a network you can count on.

Which CJS skill do you find yourself using most often?

I remember conversations from the Journalism Ethics class with Margaret Sullivan that are now quite helpful for navigating ethical questions. Also, the legal class has helped me in my reporting. You know what you are allowed to do and can set boundaries when necessary. Following the business class Managing a 21st Century Newsroom by Bill Grueskin and Ava Seave has also shaped my understanding of the US media landscape.

If you could give one piece of advice to current CJS students about building a journalism career right now, what would it be?

When you enter the workforce, stay open to learning and be willing to pivot, but also trust your instincts and pursue what feels right. During your time at the Journalism School, you’ve built a comprehensive skill set, trust it. Find a unique story, be forward-looking, coordinate and communicate with your team, keep deadlines in mind and always think about how you can best transport your story to the audience. Take full care and responsibility for your part of the team effort and perform it professionally. When you are on the ground reporting, be smart and think about ethics and legality. In post-production, be open to feedback, and kill your darlings. Especially in video, with today’s short attention span, you want to keep the audience engaged and deliver value. Ideally, people go away after watching your video thinking, “A few minutes worth spending.”