As local newsrooms navigate razor-thin margins and "news deserts" expand, the rise of generative artificial intelligence presents both new opportunities and complex ethical challenges. In this episode of On Message, host Jeff Kraus sits down with Veronica Garabelli—award-winning journalist, assistant professor of digital journalism, and Director of Graduate Studies at VCU’s Robertson School of Communication.

Together, they explore how local news outlets are actually using AI on the ground—from automating transcriptions and data analysis to setting clear boundaries around fact-checking, content creation, and reader trust. Professor Garabelli shares key insights on why AI won't replace human reporters, the ethical standards required for modern journalists, and why human presence, critical thinking, and community trust remain irreplaceable in local reporting.

What happens when you throw out the traditional final grade and set your sight on a festival red carpet instead?

In the debut episode of On Message, host Jeff Kraus steps inside Studio 8 to explore (CAP)SULE: New Voices in VA—an ambitious higher-education experiment that skipped standard classroom critique and launched student storytellers straight into the industry spotlight.

Jeff is joined by Robertson School Assistant Professor Rob Milazzo alongside student directors Anastasia Hines and Sofia Feliciano to unpack how 20 VCU undergraduate filmmakers pulled off an extraordinary cross-institutional collaboration. Discover how these emerging directors teamed up with elite graduate composers from Berklee College of Music and Johns Hopkins University to score five original short documentaries now heading for their world premiere at the Washington West Film Festival on October 10.

In this episode, we dive into:

• Breaking the Capstone Mold: Why raising the bar transforms student mindsets and production energy.
• The Art of Remote Scoring: How directors convey the emotional pulse of a story to composers hundreds of miles away.
• Set Disasters & Real-World Craft: Behind-the-scenes obstacles, local Virginia stories, and the pivotal moments that saved the day.
• The Career Fast-Track: How graduating with IMDb credits, original scores, and festival premieres reshapes what's possible for next-gen creators.

Whether you're an emerging storyteller, a media professional, or a curious podcast listener, hit play to discover what takes place when you raise the standard for creative education!