University of Missouri

Sept. 4, 2024

Bringing with her a wealth of professional journalism experience as the award-winning news anchor of “Entertainment Tonight,” Jann Carl is joining the Missouri School of Journalism as an assistant professional practice professor.

In her new role supervising student journalists at NBC affiliate KOMU-TV, Carl will put her experience as a master storyteller to work guiding students through the process of pitching, writing, editing and packaging world-class journalism products.

“Jann’s long and varied experience in the industry makes her a tremendous addition to the School of Journalism’s faculty,” said David Kurpius, dean of the Missouri School of Journalism. “Through her, students will have access to hard-earned insights from a nationally renowned interviewer and journalist that they can’t get anywhere else.”

For Carl, this role represents a return to the place where she cut her teeth as a student and a teacher.

“I was able to be a teaching assistant at KOMU the last year I was there, and I loved it,” Carl said. “I loved having the students come for their very first semester there and helping shoot their stories, edit, talk them through it. I always thought I would come back to it. It’s happening later than I thought, but everything seems to have fallen into place. It feels like it was meant to be.”

Carl’s approach to broadcast journalism is a natural fit for the journalism school’s dedication to hands-on learning through the Missouri Method. In her nationally syndicated television show “Small Town Big Deal,” Carl traveled to small towns all over America to tell stories that have otherwise gone largely unnoticed by national media. That format meshes well with Mizzou’s emphasis on students producing community reporting that not only serves the local Columbia community but also reaches out to tell the stories of rural and underserved Missourians.

“I look forward to being able to my share experiences, and to have that light in their eyes shine when they understand something I’m telling them,” Carl said. “It’s a bit like being an athletic coach — you can read about what it’s like to be a great golfer, but when you have a great coach or a great trainer, you can really step it up, and that’s what we endeavor to do at the J-School.”