We propose: a structure based on models.
We see structure for its own sake hindering students' ability to customize their education and to prepare themselves for their future careers. We see students who want to be designers unable to take design classes in the strategic communication emphasis. We see students who want to be copy editors unable to take the magazine emphasis's editing course. We see students who want to be reporters unable to take advanced photo classes, when today's reporters are often required to shoot their own photos. We see faculty boxed into what they're used to and pushed into cliques where print faculty sticks with print faculty and broadcast with broadcast. We see a lack of collaboration across media and beyond comfort zones.
It is time that the walls between emphasis areas be knocked down. We must create a structure of journalism education more conducive to the 21st century newsroom, where journalists are expected to be able to work across platforms.
We propose a broader base journalistic education, where every student learns the basic tenants of video, print and multimedia writing and reporting. Students should be able to choose from a series of "models," rather than emphasis areas, so students can tailor their educations to their specific interests and their future careers. There would be several tract ideas for students such as public policy and government, investigative reporting, etc. This would be similar to the structure of the school's graduate-level structure.
The current structure of the school organizes faculty and students by platform, but this is not the reality of today's newsrooms. Jobs that fall strictly within one of the six emphasis areas are disappearing. Students need the flexibility to choose courses that give them the best chance to compete in the media marketplace.Why should we be denied courses in online publishing or magazine design simply because we signed a paper that labeled us "print and digital news" three years ago? Is tradition trumping transformation?
The structure of the journalism school no longer reflects the industry. Our school is still based on mediums of print, photo and broadcast while the profession is melding. The barriers of sequences are keeping students from getting hands-on experience in multiple mediums. Walter Williams founded the Missouri School of Journalism on the idea the young journalists learn best in newsrooms. Just like our proposal for more access to classes across mediums, we need more access to the newsrooms. Many students choose MU because of its labs, but are restricted, again, to one medium. If the newsrooms were converged students could work together, mastering many skills.
Some examples of models might include:
> video reporting
> photo editing
> international journalism
> political journalism
> visual design, illustration and infographics
> documentary
> computer-assisted reporting
> magazine publishing
> creative advertising development
> account management
> strategic research
It is time that the walls between emphasis areas be knocked down. We must create a structure of journalism education more conducive to the 21st century newsroom, where journalists are expected to be able to work across platforms.
We propose a broader base journalistic education, where every student learns the basic tenants of video, print and multimedia writing and reporting. Students should be able to choose from a series of "models," rather than emphasis areas, so students can tailor their educations to their specific interests and their future careers. There would be several tract ideas for students such as public policy and government, investigative reporting, etc. This would be similar to the structure of the school's graduate-level structure.
The current structure of the school organizes faculty and students by platform, but this is not the reality of today's newsrooms. Jobs that fall strictly within one of the six emphasis areas are disappearing. Students need the flexibility to choose courses that give them the best chance to compete in the media marketplace.Why should we be denied courses in online publishing or magazine design simply because we signed a paper that labeled us "print and digital news" three years ago? Is tradition trumping transformation?
The structure of the journalism school no longer reflects the industry. Our school is still based on mediums of print, photo and broadcast while the profession is melding. The barriers of sequences are keeping students from getting hands-on experience in multiple mediums. Walter Williams founded the Missouri School of Journalism on the idea the young journalists learn best in newsrooms. Just like our proposal for more access to classes across mediums, we need more access to the newsrooms. Many students choose MU because of its labs, but are restricted, again, to one medium. If the newsrooms were converged students could work together, mastering many skills.
Some examples of models might include:
> video reporting
> photo editing
> international journalism
> political journalism
> visual design, illustration and infographics
> documentary
> computer-assisted reporting
> magazine publishing
> creative advertising development
> account management
> strategic research
