Department Chair Message From Bill Loving
Preparing Students For a Multimedia World
Charles Dickens had it right when he wrote that, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Only, instead of London and Paris, our story is one about increased consumption of content by online readers and the economic problems of traditional media.
Record numbers of people are turning to newspaper and magazine sources online. Time Magazine reported on the shift in its Feb. 5, 2009, cover story. People want news and other information from credible sources as they make important decisions in their lives.
That is particularly important these days as the Internet has made it possible for “junk” news and information to spread far beyond its reach when people paid for content and had to find the pamphlet that talked about the illegality of federal income taxes or the conspiracy of the week. With the Internet, just about anyone with a computer and connection can create a site and publish “news.”
While this allows greater exposure to fringe points of view and ammunition for people who embrace those viewpoints, it does little to advance the cause of public knowledge and participation.
As such, the increased attention to the Web sites of traditional and mainstream news organizations is a positive sign of the relevance of these outlets, especially among young adults.
At the same time, we have seen the closure of the Rocky Mountain News and cutbacks in the print versions of the Detroit and Christian Science Monitor. These are signs of the problems in the newspaper industry. The recession cut deeply into revenues and subscribers are leaving as they cut back on expenses.
What this means for people already in industry is an agonizing period of uncertainty as they look at job losses and cutbacks in the newsroom.
For the journalism department, this period is one in which we can hope that news organizations hit upon a business model that allows them to earn enough to remain viable.
What the department can do is prepare students to operate in a paper and paperless world. Critical-thinking skills will always be needed regardless of the medium of communication. Strong writing, research/reporting and analytical skills are valuable for every form of content delivery.
As such, the department will continue to emphasize the fundamentals and to teach the technical and conceptual abilities for work in a multimedia environment. It will mean continuing to assist faculty in refreshing their skill sets and acquiring the hardware and software to practice what we teach, but those difficulties are within the grasp of the department.