Preliminary communication
The Future of Journalism Education in the United Kingdom: a Personal View from the Academy
Mick Temple
Abstract
Journalism training must not only equip students with the practical skills
essential for their career, but must also show students how journalism 'participates in the
production and circulation of meaning'. 'Journalism studies' is not an irrelevance to the
trained journalist, or even a desirable add-on – it is an essential element of journalistic
training. A journalist without an understanding of the history, values and ideology of
her profession is an illiterate journalist. The consequences of the internet for journalism
and journalism education could be disastrous. We must also be able to trust the
information we are given – and in order to do that we need a new generation of
ethically-conscious, well-trained journalists for the challenges faced by the new online
environment. Those journalists must be prepared to be adaptable, which requires more
than producing journalists to meet the perceived skill gaps of today's environment. The
challenge for journalism educators is to be equally adaptable. The industry is asking and
expecting a great deal of both educators and students. Most crucially, employers must
recognise that training cannot be left to the universities alone.
Keywords
Journalism; Education; Training; Skill; Technology; Information
Hrčak ID:
39301
URI
Publication date:
2.2.2009.
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