Editor shares thoughts about future of journalism

When someone asks me what my major is and I respond with journalism, the response is commonly negative.

There are typically two reasons for this response. The first being many people have a bad taste in their mouth concerning the media. The second is many assume journalism is a dying career.

I, for one, have to disagree with this point of view.

While I agree the facets of journalism are morphing rapidly, I cannot lend credit to the concept of extinction.

The fact that many print publications are struggling for readership is no secret, and the death of the prominent Rocky Mountain News in 2009, is a perfect example.

Staff from the newspaper wrote of their feelings on the departure of the publication.

“We part in sorrow because we know so much lies ahead that will be worth telling, and we will not be there to do so,” the farewell column stated.

I love print journalism and hold its importance in history with high regard.

I believe its decline is not the extinction of an old medium, but the exciting welcome of various creative storytelling avenues.

The world will always need skilled communicators, storytellers and movements of justice.

The mission behind journalism is a heavy, complex responsibility.

Journalism at its purest form serves as a platform of information to benefit communities by delivering beneficial information.

In some cases, the information can save lives. In other cases, information cane encourage a life.

There is as a great need for journalism in our world.

So the question becomes, what avenue of exchange will these communicators use to share their information?

The Internet has changed everything in terms of mass communication.

We now have social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, and the world of blogging that have cross-penetrated communication and joined the umbrella of journalism.

“There’s so many different platforms and there’s so many different opportunities, it’s exploding and unfolding even as we watch,”  said Jody Dean, television and radio journalist.

I believe online versions of news organizations are sweeping print off their feet, with cost of production and accessibility being the main advantages.

“Newspapers must accept the fact that their online versions are their primary versions now,” said Mike Doyle, blogger and scribe of chicagocarless.com, in a 2008 article. “Not in the future. Not potentially. Already.”

I must admit that I personally turn to the Internet as my primary information source.

Concerning the popular negative reaction to the choice of journalism as a career, my thoughts are as follows.

The fresh young journalists are just the right people to join this movement and guide this metamorphosis with their hands on the steering wheel.

An important reason why college graduates have a leg up in entering journalism, whether broadcast, print or online, is we are inexpensive.

Longtime professionals have elite salaries whereas young journalists will work for little compensation in a profession that lacks monetary abundance.

I personally enjoy journalism because it allows me to take part in all the things I love.

What propels me to continue is the opportunity I get to meet many different kinds of people and talk to them about their life, when I otherwise wouldn’t have had that chance.

I love people and mass communication provides a way to impact lives.

Perhaps my hopeful assessment of the business stems from my own passion for the art of journalism and social duty,. Even still, I stand by it.