Returning From "The Dead"

Samantha Harrington
sh776511@ohio.edu

Every time someone asks me what major I'm in, I confidently say, "journalism," as I know what the following question will entail. It's something like, "Why are you focusing on a field that's slowly dying?" Thinking they're smarter than I for not choosing journalism, the jokes on them. Journalism isn't dying. In fact, it's simply evolving.

Getting my acceptance letter from E.W. Scripps School of Journalism is one of the most memorable times in my life. Not only did I feel accomplished, but I was ready to tackle the false accusations of the "dying field" that supposedly exists.

The Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosensteil is another reason why I love and still believe in the purpose and existence of journalism. It's true point in the world is well-expressed by Kovach and Rosensteil that reassured my every move that lead me to this class at Ohio University.

A journalist’s main priority is to deliver news. Without that, people would be clueless as to what’s going on around them. The news is what makes conversations and develops someone’s views, beliefs and being. 

In the few beginning pages of Kovach and Rosensteil’s book, the first bold text says that journalists provide citizens with the information they need. “Need” is a broad term, however. What defines a citizens “need”? Does writing stories about Miley Cyrus twerking, or boy bands coming back define what “need” is? On one hand, yes. Celebrity starstruck junkies love to see Miley twerking with a bunch of random objects. On the other hand, more mature individuals, and I say that as non-objectively as I can, will be more drawn to the local, national and world events journalists also cover.

There are many components to the journalism field. If you sit down and look around, journalism is everywhere. You knowing how to cure a cold could be from a journalist interviewing a doctor and writing about it. You knowing that tragedies have struck is from a journalist going to that site and reporting it. 

Certain elements of journalism could be considered “dying,” like the printed newspaper, but the beauty is that better things are born. Technology has opened many doors instead of closing them. We can now get the information out faster and more consistently. We have adapted to the wonderful changes to create bigger and better ways to spread the news our citizens need.

Kovach’s and Rosensteil’s subtopic called “The New Challenge” is about the evolving of journalism. Without struggle, there’s no progress, and that’s exactly what journalists go through everyday. We’re like warriors who refuse to be defeated. A good journalist doesn’t stop until the job is done.

Reading other blogs and websites where there’s an option for discussion is a remarkable thing. Today I googled: Is journalism a dying field? I came across a few websites. Scrolling through people’s opinions can either cause heartache by the wrongly educated people who think this field is dying or release endorphins that remind us why we as journalists are here. 

I strongly believe technology evolving is more of a benefit to journalists. 

                                                                                            Photo from: Forum Nation States