J-Students: What Kind Of Job Do You Want?

I was emailed this article recently so I thought I'd pass it along. The story from 2006 quotes a 2004 study that found that most journalism students in colleges and universities across the U.S. sought jobs in print media than in online journalism. (20.6 percent for TV news and 19.5 percent for newspapers versus 6.5 percent for Internet positions.) These figures were in spite of the fact that starting salaries at online-based jobs were substantially higher than comparable positions at traditional media outlets.

I wonder if the numbers would be similar today or if more students are embracing the possibility of an online position. I mean, after all, our generation does consume online news far more than we are reading traditional newspapers or magazines. Personally, I came into college convinced that I was going to work in print media. My dream job is still to become an editor at a top men's magazine or entertainment magazine. However, I could definitely see myself working for an online news source. In today's world, journalism students have to be open to the possibility of working on the Web because jobs in print or broadcast media are shrinking everyday. It would be interesting to see updated statistics on the types of jobs journalism students seek immediately following graduation. (My quick Google search elicited no helpful results, but maybe you're a more savvy searcher than I am.)

The article also touches on another important issue: journalism education's slowness to embrace online media. If students aren't being taught how to report for the Web or develop a Web presence for themselves, how can they be expected to feel comfortable searching for Internet jobs? At my school, Ithaca College, I've definitely received some great instruction in Internet journalism, but broadcast and especially print media are still very much the emphasized mediums. Journalism programs must incorporate online news into their curriculums so that their students can embrace the possibility of someday working for online media.

Arianna Huffington Comes to Ithaca!

Tonight, Arianna Huffington spoke in Emerson Suites at Ithaca College. The co-founder of the Huffington Post gave her thoughts on the state of journalism and new media. One of the first points she made about the strengths of independent media is its tendency to present more than just the fact. Whereas many newspapers adhere to a strict inverted pyramid style, indy media sites aren't afraid to present news in other ways, such as with satire, video or dramatic flair.

She also applauded our continuously developing linked economy. She called it a "cause for celebration." Consumers of traditional media are passive, often picking up a newspaper and merely glancing at headlines or simply filling time. Independent media users, however, are active participants who follow links, investigate topics further, donate to causes, organize themselves around a political candidate or movement, or even donate to the reporting itself. "You consume new media galloping on a horse," she said.

Huffington also shared her thoughts on the decline of the print media. It was very refreshing to hear her shift the discussion from the future of newspapers to the future of journalism itself. While newspapers may be declining, what's more troubling for me as an aspiring journalist has been the subsequent decline of things like investigative reporting. Furthermore, as Huffington said, print media can never die out. Magazines, for instances, are popular with people heading to the beach, on a flight, or looking for a specific topic.

I think Huffington's strongest point came when she said the discussion is not about new versus old media, but instead about today's media versus yesterday's media. Regardless of their primary form of publication, all forms of media need an online footprint. Newspapers, magazines and broadcast stations all need to have a strong web presence that offers something their print or broadcast product cannot.

For more on Arianna Huffington, I recommend reading some of her blog posts on HuffPost. Her speech was great and I'm definitely glad I got to hear her speak here on campus.

Blogger Responds to New FTC Rule

As I discussed before, the Federal Trade Commission ruled that bloggers who review products must disclose any ties to the manufacturer of that product because of advertising or other factors. To me, this was a good thing - it gives readers more information by holding bloggers accountable for any conflicts of interest that may arise. However, now at least one blogger has spoken out against this. Britt Aboutaleb, a blogger at Fashionista, said this is actually unfair to bloggers because print reporters are not held to the same standards. She wrote that fashion magazine are not required to publicize that certain products are chosen as features because of an advertising relationship.

While this may be true, it does not change the fact that the intention of the new rule is just and beneficial for readers, which is who writers are working for, in a sense. Furthermore, the blogger made sweeping statements that all magazines do this, which I think is just not true. This past weekend, I visited several magazine offices in New York City — including W, a high-fashion magazine, and Woman's Day, a women's magazine aimed at middle-aged mothers — and found this wasn't the case at every place. The editors at W and Woman's Day said they receive products that they or other members of their team test in order to see which would be best for their readership. At least at these two magazines, the products received are not part of a business relationship where coverage is based on advertising dollars. While I agree that magazines should disclose that they receive these products free of charge, it doesn't change that the new FTC rule was made with good intentions to help blog readers.

In short, I think the FTC should hold print publications to this standard, but that doesn't change the fact that the rule is necessary to improve the quality of the work being done on the Net as well. Would you agree? Or, do you think the FTC should have cleaned up the print industry before moving on to independent blogs or Web sites?