For Student Journalists

Report the story. Get the byline.

Florida Retail News runs as a real bureau — student correspondents pitch, report, and publish under professional editors and industry mentors. No busywork, no simulated assignments. Your name, your story, live on the site.

How It Works

The editorial workflow

01

Pitch

Submit a story idea through the form below — a merchant opening, a development project, a trend you're seeing on your campus or in your city.

02

Assign

An FRN editor reviews your pitch, helps sharpen the angle, and confirms scope, sources, and deadline with you directly.

03

Report & Edit

You report and draft the piece — written or video — with editorial feedback along the way from working journalists and industry mentors.

04

Publish

Your story goes live on Florida Retail News with your byline, school affiliation, and a permanent link for your portfolio.

Why Report For Us

Built for your resume, not just your gradebook.

  • Real, citable bylines on a public news platform — not a class-only publication.
  • Direct mentorship from journalism professionals and retail/CRE industry experts.
  • Choose your format: written features or video reporting.
  • Editorial beats in openings, development, industry insights, and merchant profiles.
  • A foot in the door with the broader Florida Retail Holdings network — brokerage, scholarships, and industry contacts statewide.
Editorial Advisory Board

Guided by pros, run by students

Every beat is overseen by an advisory board of journalism faculty, working editors, and Florida retail-industry professionals — giving every published story a real editorial bar to clear.

4Editorial Beats
8Partner Schools
1:1Editor Mentorship
Open To Students Statewide

Partner Journalism Schools

University of FloridaFlorida State UniversityUniversity of MiamiFlorida A&M UniversityUniversity of South FloridaBethune-Cookman UniversityEdward Waters UniversityFlorida Memorial University

Not listed at one of these schools? Submit a pitch anyway — we're always expanding the bureau.

Pitch Your Story

Submit a written or video story idea