“Journalism is hard work, but it also should be fun. I try to get my students to pay attention to everything and everyone around them – to see that stories are everywhere. When we approach the world with open ears and curious eyes, we never stop learning. Journalists, whether they’re in news or public relations, just tell the story of what they have learned. And, if they’re doing it right, they have a lot of fun along the way.”

Title

Director, Pulliam School of Journalism; Publisher, TheStatehouseFile.com; Professor of Journalism

Educational Background

• M.A., Saint Louis University – St. Louis, MO
• B.A., Franklin College – Franklin, IN

Year Joined Franklin

2004

Expertise

News reporting, feature writing, opinion writing, interviewing, documentary filmmaking, editing, public speaking

What is the most important quality for a good journalist to have?

You have to believe that people and their stories matter. You have to understand what a privilege and what a responsibility it is to have people trust you with their stories. If you don’t care about the story you’re telling and the people who are in it, the audience won’t either.

How should I prepare myself to work in either news or public relations?

Read as much as you can. Write as much as you can. Your storytelling skills are like muscles. They get stronger the more you work them. There’s no way to get around that. You have to put the time and the work in, both in the classroom and outside.

Selected Professional Accomplishments

Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker

More than 80 awards and honors for writing and broadcasting.

Hosts a twice-weekly news and public affairs show, “No Limits,” for the Indianapolis NPR affiliate WFYI that airs throughout Indiana.

Author of the book, Emily’s Walk

Writes column three times per week that appears in more than 30 Indiana newspapers

What Students Say

“John Krull gave me the confidence to succeed not just as a journalist, but as a leader. In his courses I learned strategies for writing clean, compelling copy, but through his mentorship I gained invaluable knowledge about the skills needed to serve in a leadership role. He taught me to push the boundaries of what I knew I was capable of and to encourage my peers to do the same. Having John’s respect and support helped me become a trusted and well-respected journalist and I’m forever grateful for his life lessons in the classroom and beyond.” — Julie (Crothers) Beer, Class of 2011

“I can trace my love of journalism and ability to tackle hard subjects in a balanced way back to John’s influence, whether it was him pushing me to talk to the Senate Minority Leader my first day working in the Statehouse or reassuring me when I walked in to absolute chaos as union workers protested and House Democrats left the state. John always showed faith in our abilities and treated us like professionals. And, of course, he always reminded us to “take care.” I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor.” – Megan Banta, Class of 2014

Something My Colleagues Don’t Know About Me

At one time, in my life I could hold my breath for nearly three minutes. When I was a teenager, I dreamed of learning how to surf. I’d read somewhere that a good surfer needed to be able to stay under water for more than two minutes, so I spent hours in high school practicing holding my breath in the deep end of whatever pool I could find.