Here’s a refrain I hear all the time: Journalists are getting laid off every day. Newspapers are closing. Magazines are shrinking. Broadcast news is in steady decline. Journalistic web sites can’t make any money. Why, then, would anyone go to a journalism school?
Fair question. And there are very good answers. For the first time since the advent of television, there’s something fundamentally new to learn: multimedia, interactive journalism for the Internet. Moreover, in an economic downturn, students benefit from the mentoring of a dedicated faculty, the networking opportunities for internships and jobs, and the credential of a Master of Arts degree from an innovative new school.
The evidence suggests these reasons are valid. For the third summer in a row, all of our students have landed internships at news organizations around the world — 59 in all this summer. About 25% are being paid, and the rest receive a summer stipend from us, thanks to a generous grant from the Knight Foundation.
What about jobs? Our second class, which graduated in the teeth of the downturn last December, is doing very well, thank you. Two-thirds of them are employed — at newspapers (yes!), broadcast stations, web sites, wire services, and community news outlets. Another 10% are freelancing full time or part time.
They’re finding work, we’re told by employers, because they’ve been trained to be fluent across media platforms. They can report and write in traditional ways, but can also shoot video, create slide shows, produce podcasts, and build interactive elements into stories for the web. They are, in the jargon of the day, “converged” journalists or “one-person crews” — embracing digital technologies to find new ways to tell stories.
That’s why they’re enrolling here and at other top graduate schools of journalism. Our applications for next fall’s class jumped 50%, and the class will top 80 for the first time. It’s not just our growth that’s impressive — zero to 80 in what feels like 4.2 seconds. It’s the quality of the students — smart, motivated, and diverse. As our reputation grows, we are successfully competing for the best students with the best schools in the country. We’re grateful and proud.
When I talk to applicants and students, I am heartened by their attitude. They know times are tough, but they also sense that their generation will re-imagine journalism for the digital age. They want to be part of that challenge. And they are passionate about journalism. They want to be journalists for the same reasons my generation did: Keeping people informed is vital, socially conscious work. And — dirty little secret — it’s a lot of fun. Amen.
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Speaking of innovation in journalism, I’m pleased to report that the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism has been selected by the Knight Foundation to help take on one of the most urgent tasks facing our profession: creating new business models to sustain quality journalism in the years ahead. The first fruits of our work, along with that of other contributors, will be discussed at a Knight-sponsored conference at the Aspen Institute in August. My thanks to Alberto Ibargüen, CEO of the Knight Foundation, and Eric Newton, vice-president of the journalism program, for their continued support and encouragement since our School was launched three years ago. Our work will continue after the conference under the umbrella of the Tow Center for Journalistic Innovation, established under a challenge grant from philanthropist Leonard Tow.
Stephen B. Shepard
Dean