Big change at Mizzou's J-school?

[MU_was_not_so_hard]

Missourian people are contemplating a JOA-like agreement with the Columbia Tribune, and talks between the two could lead to anything from the Missourian going purely digital to cutting back just a few days a week.
Either way, it appears the Missourian is no longer trying to be more than a "niche" publication.

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/06/06/partnership-between-two-columbia-newspapers-could-/

 

[Barsuk]

I've long feared this would happen, and it will be a damn shame if (when) it does.

 

[didntdoit19]

Great way to celebrate the J-School's 100th anniversary...

 

[Pendleton]

On the other hand, the University of Missouri, from what I've heard, is sending more people to China to cover the Olympics than 98 percent of US newspapers.

 

[MU_was_not_so_hard]

On the other hand, the University of Missouri, from what I've heard, is sending more people to China to cover the Olympics than 98 percent of US newspapers.

That is accurate to a degree.
Those students -- the one I'm close to just finished up her master's and will be one of the on-site editors -- had to pay a ****-ton of money to go over there. I'd be curious to know how much the school is paying for.

 

[SportsDude]

How in the hell can a college student pay their own way to China? Someone hit Powerball?

 

[jericks]

The students headed to China aren't going to cover the Olympics. They're headed to China to operate in a PR capacity, although I'm not exactly sure what it entails. And as to the Missourian's problems, this has been coming for a long time, like the linked article states. Very few people who aren't affiliated with the university view the Missourian on the same level with the Tribune...

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

The letter is addressed to "Dear Reader." I was not aware it had gotten that bad.

 

[mustangj17]

On the other hand, the University of Missouri, from what I've heard, is sending more people to China to cover the Olympics than 98 percent of US newspapers.

Sounds like a great opportunity.

 

[JakeandElwood]

How in the hell can a college student pay their own way to China? Someone hit Powerball?

I think some help from Mom and Dad is likely involved.

 

[JakeandElwood]

The letter is addressed to "Dear Reader." I was not aware it had gotten that bad.

I believe Tom Warhover does a weekly "Dear Reader" column.

 

[MU_was_not_so_hard]

The students headed to China aren't going to cover the Olympics. They're headed to China to operate in a PR capacity, although I'm not exactly sure what it entails. And as to the Missourian's problems, this has been coming for a long time, like the linked article states. Very few people who aren't affiliated with the university view the Missourian on the same level with the Tribune...

I've been told what you wrote via a PR capacity is completely untrue, and that comes from someone going as one of the on-site editors.
It's going to be more like a wire service (for "Missouri Newspaper Groups") than anything else. Maybe there are PR people going for a different operation, but they're not all going for PR.
And the person I know who is going dropped 3 Gs of her own money (she's in grad school and already worked for three years prior to that) and got a 1k scholarship. She's also paying for her own food and entertainment while she's there.

 

[britwrit]

Wow. What a terrible PR move by Mizzou. Think of losing all those out-of-state students who came to Missouri just for the print journalism (and pay, what, three times as much as instate tuition?)

On the other hand, I worked for the Tribune back in the stone age and the higher-ups were always grousing about the ad revenue lost to the Missourian. They must be doing cart-wheels in the halls just about now.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

I'd be interested to know the ratio of broadcast to print J-majors at Missouri these days.

 

[Jeremy Goodwin]

Of the 396 undergraduate (2008) candidates, 14 studied convergence journalism; 92, magazine journalism; 54, newspaper journalism; 24, photojournalism; 75, radio-television journalism; 136, strategic communication; and one studied agricultural journalism.

http://journalism.missouri.edu/news/2008/05-09-commencement.html

 

[Jeremy Goodwin]

The students headed to China aren't going to cover the Olympics. They're headed to China to operate in a PR capacity, although I'm not exactly sure what it entails. And as to the Missourian's problems, this has been coming for a long time, like the linked article states. Very few people who aren't affiliated with the university view the Missourian on the same level with the Tribune...

I've been told what you wrote via a PR capacity is completely untrue, and that comes from someone going as one of the on-site editors.
It's going to be more like a wire service (for "Missouri Newspaper Groups") than anything else. Maybe there are PR people going for a different operation, but they're not all going for PR.
And the person I know who is going dropped 3 Gs of her own money (she's in grad school and already worked for three years prior to that) and got a 1k scholarship. She's also paying for her own food and entertainment while she's there.

From the J-school's Web site:

MU is one of 13 international universities that will recruit and train Olympic News Service volunteers for BOCOG. Three hundred English-native speakers will be trained in BOCOG's Olympic News Service International Volunteers Project. Six elite cooperating Beijing universities will provide housing for the volunteers, with RUC supplying free accommodations for MU's students.

http://journalism.missouri.edu/news/2007/08-24-beijing-olympics.html

From Olympic New Service Web site:

he Olympic News Service (ONS) is responsible for providing media with comprehensive Games information services, including pre-Games information such as athlete biographies and historical results, and the Games-time news service, flash quotes and press conference highlights. All these services will ensure the fullest possible coverage reaches the widest possible audience.

ONS aims to provide INFO users with a balanced Games news file of professional wire service standard written in clear, concise language that keeps the media informed of Games developments to help them achieve the best possible coverage.

ONS news will be presented without bias or favor and independent of all external influence in accordance with the Olympic Charter.

ONS operates like an international news agency through a central editorial team with professional skills. The team liaises with experienced venue reporting teams comprising supervisors, sports information specialists and reporters fluent in written and spoken English to report and publish Games-related news. Hundreds of local and international professionals and volunteers will join us in 2008.

http://en.beijing2008.cn/media/ons/

 

[NightHawk112005]

I wonder what the changes to the newsroom Warhover talks about would entail?

 

[PeteyPirate]

Of the 396 undergraduate (2008) candidates, 14 studied convergence journalism; 92, magazine journalism; 54, newspaper journalism; 24, photojournalism; 75, radio-television journalism; 136, strategic communication; and one studied agricultural journalism.

http://journalism.missouri.edu/news/2008/05-09-commencement.html

Why didn't any of them study BLOG! journalism?

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

Jeremy, thanks. Surprised by the figures.

The confidence of youth, that all will be rosy, etc.. I guess it's not a bad outlook.

 

[NightHawk112005]

Of the 396 undergraduate (2008) candidates, 14 studied convergence journalism; 92, magazine journalism; 54, newspaper journalism; 24, photojournalism; 75, radio-television journalism; 136, strategic communication; and one studied agricultural journalism.

http://journalism.missouri.edu/news/2008/05-09-commencement.html

Why didn't any of them study BLOG! journalism?

Because blog journalism is not a major, it is a class. Having taken it, not a particularly useful one, I might add.