I am a fan of listicles, this one has 14. They are part of the reason Buzzfeed is so popular. I like # 5. Read the story for more.
5. They believe that a little irreverence and opinion in the news might not be such a bad thing. Think BuzzFeed and The Daily Show instead of CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite.
All U Need 2 Know About Next-Gen Reporters
In the spirit of BuzzFeed, here are 14 not-really-so-amazing things you need to know about the next generation of television journalists, based on my recent visit to Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Most of these reasons are spot-on. One of them that struck me was #3, which said journalism students are prepared to work in TV news even though they don't watch it themselves. I myself rarely watched the legacy channels (ABC, NBC, CBS) before this summer, and I have encountered many students in classes who never raise their hands when asked about television viewing habits. But this could be due to various reasons other than just not wanting to watch, including hectic college schedules, online viewing, etc.
ReplyDeleteLike Nicholas, I agree with many of the 14 points listed. In terms of legacy media, the only time I am watching CBS, NBC, and ABC is when a football or basketball game is on one of those channels. Also, I will occasionally tune in to CBS to watch The Price is Right, but let's be honest, it's just not the same without Bob Barker.
ReplyDeleteLike the list alluded to, I obtain most of my news online via Twitter or sites such as MSN.com that provide the day's top news stories. I also receive breaking news updates on my phone via the AP Mobile application.
I disagree that email is not a good way to grab the attention of people my age. For the most part, I check my email at least once a day. And I also disagree with their opinion that radio is fading fast. Maybe people relying on news coverage on the radio is dwindling in popularity, but in terms of sports talk radio, I think that is as popular as ever. Whenever I get the chance, I always tune in to the sports station in New York where I am from and find it incredibly entertaining.
I agree with majority of the points made in the report. I do not agree with so much that students find it a chore to read the papers. I like reading articles and I feel as journalists reading articles, and enjoying them, is sort of fundamental. I do agree, however that reading the physical paper is a bit of a chore. It is rather large and cumbersome, and it hurts the heart to throw away so much paper. Online newspapers are definitely the way to go.
ReplyDeleteI agree absolutely with the point that TOO many students want to sports journalists. Especially the men, At least in this school every broadcast class I've had I would argue that 90-95% of all the males want to be sports broadcasters. It is more surprising and interesting when coming across those who do not want to be sports journalists. And if you're a lady aspiring to be a sports journalist, I say more power to you.
Lastly, I agree with the post about reporters these days being a one-man-band. It's completely accurate and I look exactly like the guy in the photo, every time.
I agree with most of the points listed in this report. We have so much technology causing so many distractions that reading many things past 140 characters like a newspaper can feel like a chore or even a burden. Even watching televised newscasts comes as a rarity. I'll certainly be a part of that group that won't subscribe to cable because our web-enabled devices just seem much more efficient. We watch and read a lot of content online and I only listen to radio news in my car.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with number 8. With the amount of horror stories I hear about how difficult it's going to be to get a job in this field, I really am willing to go anywhere for any job whether it be on or off the air or in the middle of nowhere.
I definitely don't agree with the majority of what Jessell wrote, whether it be more based off his opinion or truly the way ASU students operate. Speaking as a Philip Merrill student, I would be quick to first say that we are most certainly not only focused on reporting through tweeting and other social media. Of course, we have been taught about the importance of and immediacy of tweeting the news, but only in congruence with a full story, NEVER solely tweeting the news. The fact that Jessell paints journalism students out to be narrow-minded and unlikely to try different things also bothers me, as I have only observed students with many different interests, and many different abilities. We have successfully been taught how to report using many different outlets, and aren't unable to write a print piece, then turn around and shoot video for that piece as well. We appreciate all news outlets, including TV and Radio, and I would say the only reason we don't always follow these mediums is because a lack of access.
ReplyDeleteWhile Jessell's tone may not be the warmest towards journalism students, I agree with most of his points - particularly numbers 3, 5, 10 and 11.
ReplyDeleteNumber 3: I see many broadcast students who admire CNN, but can't remember the last time they actually watched the network. For college students at least, TV news is not the fastest or most efficient way to get the news.
Number 5: If asked their favorite news outlet, most journalism students probably would not choose Buzzfeed or The Daily Show. Yet, based on a group's reactions when either is mentioned, it seems that they have fully infiltrated millennial journalism students' lives.
Number 10: It seems as if every male broadcast journalism major wants one thing: to be a sports broadcaster. Of course, this is an exaggeration, but it is true for many. For females, it seems like the same is true of entertainment reporters. so many girls want to be Giuliana Rancic despite the fact that successful entertainment broadcasters are few and far between.
Number 11: Journalism students find the act of reading a newspaper to be a chore, but that doesn't mean they aren't paying attention to the news. In this 24/7 news cycle, going through a newspaper (or even an online pdf equivalent) just to make sure you know every story for a news quiz can feel frustrating and slow. By the time I start reading the paper, I probably know all of the news that is relevant to me from other sources.
I agree with most of the points that were made. One that stands out as inaccurate is the second point about email. While there is a lot in my inbox that doesn't get read, almost none of that is a person trying to contact me. The types of messages that get ignored are generally for marketing purposes. Especially with smart phones becoming more and more common, email has become a good way to get in contact at almost any time of day and it shouldn't be written off so easily.
ReplyDeleteThe point about radio is probably meant more for traditional AM news radio, since satellite radio seem to be pretty successful. Radio remains as a good medium for people who spend a lot of time commuting, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. If the article meant that interest in pursuing a career in radio is fading it may be a more valid point.
The point about sports reporting is hard to argue with. It seemed like almost everyone in the first year journalism classes had an interest in covering sports.
I don't agree with much of what Jessell is saying. I can only speak for myself, and not all pother journalism students, but email is a very easy way to get in touch with anybody in possession of a smartphone. It's also not true that every broadcast student is looking to write/appear on the nightly news. We all know that nightly news is chiefly viewed by a past generation, and Merrill students are trained both to sit at an anchor desk and work out in the field, as well as write, design, and do everything else imaginable in relation to the field of journalism. His contentions about the high quality in college newsroom equipment and our generation's lack of interest in total objectivity are true. However, most journalism majors (me included) are not thrilled about the low pay, nor willing to work for it - part of the reason for the high dropout rate of freshman Merrill students, or why some graduates are seeking employment in other fields (me again) is the disappointingly low pay.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with much of what Jessell is saying. I can only speak for myself, and not all pother journalism students, but email is a very easy way to get in touch with anybody in possession of a smartphone. It's also not true that every broadcast student is looking to write/appear on the nightly news. We all know that nightly news is chiefly viewed by a past generation, and Merrill students are trained both to sit at an anchor desk and work out in the field, as well as write, design, and do everything else imaginable in relation to the field of journalism. His contentions about the high quality in college newsroom equipment and our generation's lack of interest in total objectivity are true. However, most journalism majors (me included) are not thrilled about the low pay, nor willing to work for it - part of the reason for the high dropout rate of freshman Merrill students, or why some graduates are seeking employment in other fields (me again) is the disappointingly low pay.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree with much of what Jessell is saying. I can only speak for myself, and not all pother journalism students, but email is a very easy way to get in touch with anybody in possession of a smartphone. It's also not true that every broadcast student is looking to write/appear on the nightly news. We all know that nightly news is chiefly viewed by a past generation, and Merrill students are trained both to sit at an anchor desk and work out in the field, as well as write, design, and do everything else imaginable in relation to the field of journalism. His contentions about the high quality in college newsroom equipment and our generation's lack of interest in total objectivity are true. However, most journalism majors (me included) are not thrilled about the low pay, nor willing to work for it - part of the reason for the high dropout rate of freshman Merrill students, or why some graduates are seeking employment in other fields (me again) is the disappointingly low pay.
ReplyDeleteI was conflicted after reading Jessell's article because I think that many of his points are valid, but I do not think that they all apply to Philip Merrill students based on what I have seen at this school. I agree that email is not a good way to get a young person's attention, that they are the complete package,that many young journalists are interested in sports reporting, that radio is fading fast, and that they are bright, passionate, and ambitious. However, as Jason mentioned, I do not think it is an accurate statement to say that most future journalists are willing to work for low pay. Additionally, Jessell says that journalists who are preparing to work in TV news have no interest in watching TV news on their own time. I am not a broadcast major, but my friends who aspire to be news anchors are diligent about watching the news to improve their own work. Finally, Philip Merrill has news quizzes, which may seem like a chore, but future journalists need to read the news and be interested about events taking place in the world for the industry. Students might not be happy about having to memorize specific facts from the news, but that does not mean they do not enjoy reading the papers.
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