Orlando Sentinel eyes newsroom space at UCF

In August 2020, the Orlando Sentinel’s owner, Tribune Publishing, decided to vacate the downtown facility which opened in 1951.

Now, the Sentinel and the University of Central Florida are nearing an agreement for the newspaper to use about 1,000 square feet of space from UCF’s downtown campus for a small newsroom. Because of pandemic restrictions, only a handful of newsroom employees will be allowed to use the Sentinel’s UCF space.

The Sentinel and UCF have a long-standing relationship, especially with the university’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media’s journalism program.

In addition to endowing a scholarship for the students in the Nicholson School, hosting interns and providing part-time job opportunities, most recently UCF student journalists partnered with the Sentinel in November to cover Election Day.

“Having a closer relationship with UCF’s journalism program is mutually beneficial,” said Julie Anderson, the Sentinel’s editor-in-chief. “The Sentinel newsroom can provide learning opportunities for the journalism students, and we benefit from the fresh perspectives and story ideas that college students bring to the table.”