DISQUS

Martin Stabe: Note to journalism schools: give us new heroes

  • Dave Lee · 2 years ago
    Hi Martin,

    This is the first post of yours that I have read, and it's prompted me to write an absolute essay on the subject on my own blog today.

    I think you have hit the nail on the head. I'm a journalism student at Lincoln University, and all formats of journalism are taught as completely seperate entities. Which as you rightly point out, is dangerously archaic.
  • Paul Bradshaw · 2 years ago
    An inspiring post that I'll certainly be recommending to my students, and the point about careers early on is also one I'll be recommending we adopt. Last year we introduced a 'Production Event' in year one where journalism students work as a news agency - producing copy for print, TV, radio and online during a 'themed' week (like the BBC's Africa week, for instance). It's a great way to demonstrate the range of forms you may be asked to produce material for, gets students working with specialists in a range of media - and they love it!
  • Bryan Murley · 2 years ago
    David Cohn will be speaking at our CMA session in New York this March. Good thing we booked him before he became a "hero." :-)
  • David Cohn · 2 years ago
    Martin -- thanks for your confidence and compliment.

    This entire thread of links and comments is right on the noise -- journalism students need new heros.

    Your example of Adam Penenberg is perfect. He was a hero to me, especially because he had a column at Wired News when I was an intern there.

    I think I got lucky in the draw -- I was intrigued by journalism, the idea of engaging in the national conversation, but I am also, for lack of a better word -- a geek.

    In addition to Woodward, Bernstein and other journalists, I look up to Craig Newmark, Jimmy Wales and other geek idols. They inspire me to go beyond research, reporting etc (all the irreplaceable fundamentals) to question the modes, mediums and practices of journalism.
  • David Cohn · 2 years ago
    Don't you hate when you make a comment, read it over and realize you made a word slip. I meant "this entire thread of links and comments is right on the nose."

    Eh... it happens...and a little humility never hurt.
  • Benjie Boy · 2 years ago
    DC for chaplan
  • Howie Good · 2 years ago
    I'm a journalism prof in the U.S. One of my teaching and research areas is ethics. I've asked other journalism profs via posts on a couple of Web sites to nominate journalists, living or dead, to put before our students as moral exemplars. I also asked them to briefly explain why they think these journalists qualify. So far . . . nothing. Does that speak to the state of journalism ethics or the state of journalism education or both? And while we're at it, who do you think belongs on any such list?
  • Howie Good · 2 years ago
    hello?