In the summer 2005 issue of Wilson Quarterly, reader Keith R. Wood of Salt Lake City (a one-time TV news director) bemoans the current state of journalism training in a letter to the editor. Wood argues that today's journalists are "generally taught by people whose main qualification is a journalism degree" and because of this journalists have become "high-tech migrant laborers" who are "interested primarily in moving to the next station or paper." Gone are the days when journalists worked their way up at the local paper from "foot-in-the-door jobs," Wood says.
In his letter, Wood sees the recruiting of online journalists and bloggers as a promising step in developing more community-invested journalists: "Some paper will see the potential in having a 'farm' of credentialed bloggers working as stringers for the online version of the paper, with the best of them working in the print edition beside traditional reporters." He concludes: "When that day arrives, journalism professors will become an endangered species."
Is this a logical scenario? What role might future journalism educators play if blogging becomes the new training ground for professional journalists? Could journalism educators help play a role in granting "credentials" to these bloggers?
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4 comments:
How old is this Wood character?
Exactly when WERE the days "when journalists worked their way up at the local paper from 'foot-in-the-door jobs?'"
I've been in the business since 1982 and I can't remember a time when journalists WERE NOT migrant laborers. I leapfrogged seven times in 14 years before ending up at the San Jose Mercury News. Everyone I know in the business has done roughly the same.
Don't worry, you tenured ones: blogs will not be the new training ground for local journalists, mainly because most self-respecting bloggers wouldn't be caught dead writing for their hometown newspaper. Why waste time sitting through city council meetings to write for an audience of a couple dozen when you can chime in on the major issues of the day for a potential worldwide audience?
The more scary prospect is that this new medium, which I still contend is mostly a megaphone for lunatics, will become a predominant news source in coming decades.
Those of us who decry "pack journalism" need only look at the "pack rumormongering" and half-baked demagoguery that passes for news on today's most-popular blogs to get a scary glimpse of the future.
Journalism education will be needed more than ever, since blogging by definition is devoid of traditional "gatekeepers." If tomorrow's online journalists don't have editors hovering over their shoulders, they better have Richard Joyce's voice in the back of their minds, screaming "you can't write that!"
Regardless, I have a hard time keeping a straight face when a TV news director from Salt Lake City bemoans the state anything regarding journalism.
Regardless, a question that's relevant is "are bloggers journalists?" meaning, are these communicators basing any of their principles on traditional journalism? I'm not talking about inverted pyramid, I'm talking about ethics, foundation for a story, and use of sources. If bloggers come from public relations or Hollywood, rather than a traditional print background...and if print news is going online in one context or another (newspapers or blogs for instance) what will tomorrow's journalism teachers teach?
Perhaps we need to back up one more step and ask, "who is a journalist?" According to a recent Annenberg Public Policy Center survey of 1,500 adults, nearly as many believe that Rush Limbaugh is a journalist as believe the same can be said of Bob Woodward. The same study found that 40 percent said that Bill O'Reilly was a journalist, while only 19 percent said that George Will was one. BTW, of the names offered, only Jennings (79%) and Wallace (64%) scored above 50% when asked who qualifies as journalists.
We can debate all day what defines the profession of journalism and who is worthy of the title, but the general public will likely have their own opinion...and it may have precious little to do with the values that we hold so dearly.
Yes, it is a very logical scenario, especially as audio and video become more prevalent in the new media.
First, they must become experts in the technology. Education is in order (short order) and learning emerging technology so as to stay ahead of the "game". They must become bloggers and vloggers themselves.
Second, professional journalists must view their profession no longer as teacher/student but rather educator and "intern". Some of the bloggers may have an impressive following with thousands, maybe even millions of readers already. So coming in as a "professional" will not bode well.
Well, first, these journalism educators must first become acredited themselves don't you think? These bloggers will probably be able to teach mose journalism educators on how to get readers, where, when, whey, etc.
Consider what you'll be teaching them, because the "curriculum" will change DRAMATICALLY.
Those educators that don't adjust and change, WILL, disappear and lose their "educator" status.
That being said, there are MULTITUDES of bloggers that can use some good journalism training. As well, there are multitudes of journalists that can learn allot about blogging and emerging technologies.
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