Journalism is not what it once was. It’s a fact. Journalism is no longer based solely on facts and hard news. Whether it’s how we report or what we report, it has changed with time.
The rise of technology has changed the way many people gather information, and journalism has had to adjust. But with many of the same principles held to such a high regard, it has left some USF St. Petersburg journalism majors with a false dream of doing what they want quickly and being successful, leaving just one question in their minds, “Why am I majoring in mass communications?”
There was a time when newspapers were the main source of information. Then came the radio, where people no longer had to read, but the newspaper industry was still booming. Television came soon after, but because it was rather new, it allowed people to still hold the local newspaper with the freedom of selecting matters that appealed to them. Flash forward decades later, and we all have cell phones and laptops. The ease-of-access has been steadily increasing and now, within seconds, people can seek the information they want.
With the expectation of instant information upon request, journalism has had to expand past newspapers. People must not only report, but get the inside scoop, write it (accurately), live-tweet it, get a picture, fact check it, and meet deadlines and post it before a competitor posts it on their news organization’s site. Hence, the major title “mass communications.”
While up-to-the-minute news stays flowing in, errors are bound to happen. It is one reason why journalism has gradually swayed from conventional to contextual writing, which can mean less facts and more opinion.
The people already know what happened; most do not care for your late review, for which even I am guilty of occasionally writing. They need an interpretation or explanation of why it happened. Which has also, unfortunately, allowed a lot of bias and non-expert opinions to flood into the journalism field. It also allows many uneducated/unemployed bloggers to hit the scene from the comfort of their couch. With the help of an ever-expanding internet, they can gain access to readers with the click of a button.
And to the untrained eye, many readers will mistake these blogs and articles as real news/reports. The click-whores will continue their ways because it gains attention, not thinking that they are breaking many of the rules journalism was founded upon.
People these days just want to spew out their opinion on their favorite celebrity couples and rant about what clothes are out of style and call it journalism. Although many students on campus believe that the mass communications major is pointless because it is focused on journalism, they are missing the big picture.
It is labeled mass communications because it provides opportunities to learn more than just writing; it teaches skills that you will need to know in the field in order to be successful.
If you are expecting to be respected in your field, you need to be professional. You need to know the basics # the do’s and don’ts of journalism, the techniques of photography, how to fact check or investigate, the different structures and styles of writing, why social media is important, how to avoid being socially awkward and the different interviewing techniques # regardless of what you want to cover post graduation. You will be more likely to land a job with these skills. And although it may be outside of your desired topic choice, it will set you up with more experience and years in the field to be qualified enough for your dream job.
Once those skills have been mastered, you can venture off and try to be creative and original, covering topics such as “what Kim Kardashian wore to go jogging,” and tell me why it’s just as important as the price of tea in China. It will be much more organic, instead of forced.
Journalism is not dead, nor will it be in the near future despite popular belief. Stop focusing on the declining newspaper industry. There’s a whole world of opportunities out there. It is just how we report the “happening” that has changed. So, sit back, enjoy the lectures your professors have worked hard to present, and try to take some constructive criticism and do what they ask. After all, they are the ones who have been in the field for decades # not you.
