“We are a newspaper.” That’s what The Washington Post’s TikTok bio reads—not as a joke, but as a clarification.
For most, news doesn’t arrive with the morning paper or the 6 p.m. broadcast. Instead, it shows up on social media, consumed alongside friends’ posts, influencer reels and viral memes in a constantly refreshing feed.
As the media landscape continues to evolve, journalists like Carmella Boykin ’21 are meeting audiences where they already are. A host and producer at The Washington Post and a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Boykin delivers hard news and journalistic integrity through engaging, platform-native social media content.
In under 60 seconds, Boykin regularly explains Supreme Court decisions, international policy and major headlines to nearly two million followers on TikTok—proving that credibility and creativity can not only coexist but thrive together.
Explaining the News—Fast
Carmella Boykin ’21 engages with Syracuse University student creators, serving as a mentor and example of journalism’s evolving future.
Boykin’s videos often feature cloned versions of herself—known as “the Carmellas”—simple props and her Syracuse graduation robe. While the style may be playful, the reporting is serious.
“Whether you’re doing serious content or fun content, it’s all about good storytelling,” says Boykin, who takes a personal approach to explaining the news. “When I watch content, I want to feel like I’m listening to a friend—a well-educated, super professional friend I trust.”
To grab the attention of quick-scrolling viewers, Boykin starts each video with a strong hook, explains the basic headline, lets the subjects involved raise the questions viewers are likely asking and wraps it up with a joke.
“At the end of the day, I’m writing scripts based on Washington Post reporting,” she says. “The scripts go to editors, and everything gets approved through journalistic standards—it’s just with fun pens and sunglasses.”
Finding Her Path at Syracuse
On graduation day, Boykin dons her Syracuse University robe, which she still uses in her Washington Post TikTok videos when portraying the Supreme Court.
When Boykin arrived on Syracuse’s campus, she dreamed of following in the footsteps of her idol, Oprah Winfrey.
“Not only did she have a show, but she also owned the production company that was making the show,” Boykin says. “Then she built her own companies to supplement what she was doing. I think there’s something really inspirational about that—especially as a woman of color in the industry.”
As a broadcast and digital journalism major, Boykin was actively involved as a reporter and anchor for CitrusTV and interned with NBC’s Weekend Today in New York City. Just as important, she built a community of peers working toward the same goal.
“One thing I didn’t realize at first was how empowering the Newhouse community would be,” Boykin says. “When you’re lugging video cameras across campus or across the city, you know there are other people doing the exact same thing. It’s what you have to do to get where you want to be.”
That shared experience, she says, made it easier to take creative risks, build confidence and commit fully to the work.
‘My Oprah Moment’
Boykin reflects on her career path while speaking with students about navigating early professional choices in journalism.
After graduating, Boykin accepted a reporting job with a local CBS affiliate in upstate New York.
“When Oprah was in college, she got a call from CBS asking to hire her,” Boykin recalls. “So, when I got the call from CBS, I was like, ‘This is my Oprah moment. I have to take this job.’”
As a morning reporter, her days began at 3:30 a.m., often covering tragic events from the night before. While the experience was valuable, Boykin soon realized local news wasn’t the right fit.
“‘Good morning, I’m live outside one of the worst days of people’s lives,’” she jokes. “I love making entertaining content, and I knew it wasn’t something I could do forever.”
Betting on Social Media
At the Center for the Creator Economy launch, Boykin speaks about the growing role of social media in journalism—a shift she embraced early in her career.
Boykin instinctively knew social media was the right path and leaned on advice she received at Syracuse from entrepreneurship professor Sean Branagan: Do it now. Make it now.
“I started documenting my life on TikTok,” she says. “I was like, ‘TikTok is going to be my way out of this job. I don’t know how, but it’s going to be.’”
Using her personal TikTok page as a portfolio—and connections she made through Newhouse—Boykin was offered an associate producer position at The Washington Post in December 2021, just six months after graduating.
The Creator Economy Comes to Campus
Returning to campus, Boykin helps launch Syracuse University’s Center for the Creator Economy, a hub preparing students for the future of media, business and storytelling.
Boykin recently returned to campus to help launch Syracuse University’s new Center for the Creator Economy.
Led jointly by Newhouse and the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, the Center will prepare students for the future of business, media and communications.
The creator economy—powered by content creators ranging from podcasters and streamers to influencers and digital artists—is reshaping how ideas, products and services are marketed and monetized. According to Goldman Sachs Research, 67 million people globally work as full- or part-time creators, and the sector could be worth nearly $500 billion by 2027.
The center will offer undergraduate and graduate courses in creative content, audience engagement and digital strategy, along with workshops on personal branding and influencer law. It will also feature speaker series, on-campus incubators and makerspaces, and research on creator economy trends.
From lugging cameras across campus to delivering global headlines to millions, Boykin thrives where creativity meets news. At the Center for the Creator Economy, students can do the same—experiment, innovate and shape the future of media. “I hope students feel empowered to start creating,” she says.
