Should we lie to journalism students?

[newspaperman]

I'll be having a host of energetic journalism majors dropping by my office today for a chance to get their feet wet in the industry. I remember being in the their same shoes when I was in college, and would have loved if someone had been honest about the businesses low pay and long hours. And the small number of jobs usually available to thousands of graduating journalism students each year.

What advice should I pass along? Should I be completely honest? Encourage them to change majors?

 

[Dick Whitman]

I don't think the majority of them care about all of that stuff. I was told the same things. I just assumed I would be different, because I was so good and amazing. And, if not, who cares anyway? I'll be covering GAMES!!!! And that's AWESOME!!!!

They'll think the same things.

 

[newspaperman]

Mr. Whitman, but shouldn't they care? It's cool when you're 23 and covering football games, making $22k a year. But what happens when you 28 and making $25k and want to start a family? Shouldn't they be informed about all facets of the industry, seeing that they are paying an extremely high price for the "education?"

 

[rpmmutant]

If you want to be honest with them, tell them they will need to learn how to be online producers as well as good, accurate, fast writers. They will need to learn how to shoot and edit video, become photo journalists, online editors and designers to a certain extent. And they will have long hours, low pay, work weekends and holidays and live in small towns they never heard of to get started.
No need to discourage them, but let them know the industry is changing. And if they're just there to watch games, tell them to major in biology. That way they'll have enough money to buy season tickets to their favorite team.

 

[Boom_70]

Whatever industry you are in you need to stay relevant and adapt to change. Tell them its an exciting time for the industry as they adapt to digital media .

 

[Twoback]

I'll be having a host of energetic journalism majors dropping by my office today for a chance to get their feet wet in the industry. I remember being in the their same shoes when I was in college, and would have loved if someone had been honest about the businesses low pay and long hours. And the small number of jobs usually available to thousands of graduating journalism students each year.

What advice should I pass along? Should I be completely honest? Encourage them to change majors?

Sorry. Had lots of people tell me about low pay and long hours when I was in college in the 70s/80s. I loathed every one of those people. Was I not smart enough to figure out I'd be working nights/weekends? I sat there and thought, "You're just afraid one day I'm coming to take your job."
It's a lot different now because the newspaper industry is in such decline. When I talk to young people, I simply tell them I have no idea what the future is. Who knows what kind of jobs there'll be? But if you're willing to take a chance and can find an opportunity, this is a great way to make a living.

 

[Dick Whitman]

The weird hours actually appeal to people who want to practice journalism, because it doesn't attract 9 to 5ers. It attracts people who want to be where the action is. The idea of springing out of bed to cover a five-alarm five at 2:30 a.m. appeals to the kind of personality that is going to gravitate toward this business. Keep in mind that none of them have children or responsibilities yet, so things like, "Weird hours," won't make a dent. Hell, most of them are texting each other all night long, and grabbing a few minutes of sleep in between.

 

[newspaperman]

Thanks guys for the advice....And I'm sure I'll met one kid who thinks as long as he/she gets a college degree, money will be thrown at him/her like Cam Newton....It's always one in the bunch.

 

[txsportsscribe]

if they haven't discovered all the negatives of the industry on their own by now they probably aren't great reporters

 

[HanSenSE]

It's like I tell newbies here: 30 years ago in college, one of the perks of being an editor was getting a electric typewriter, not a manual. Blogs were something you threw on the fire on a cold winter's night. I'd talk about how technology is changing how we cover stories, wifi and iPhones letting us report closer to the scene and getting the news out quicker, ect.

 

[Stitch]

Back when I was in school, some other student, who thought highly of himself for his work on his blog, asked this important question of a big-name columnist who visited class. Who are you voting for the Heisman?

No follow-up on the columnist discussing his start on the cops beat or the grind of being a reporter. I'm betting a lot of the students coming through would ask similar questions, or ask how good the press box food is.

 

[newspaperman]

With blogs, tweets and other free content so rampant nowadays, will anyone of the younger generation ever pay for content? Once you get it free, there's no way people will pay for it. It's like I want to encourage them to develop their social media skills, stay current with their blog, etc. but where is the income going to come from with this "future journalism?"

 

[spikechiquet]

Most kids are in the dark. Tell them everything.
I was in a bar and the bartender was a girl who was a graphic design major. She was adament that her internship with western NY, working on one big story for 10 weeks, was enough for her to get a job at the Chicago Tribune.
I tried to explain it doesn't work that way and she should apply to my paper (circ. 8,000). She said she would wait for the "perfect job". I ordered another tall one and laughed in her face.
That was 8 months ago. Went to the bar Saturday. She's still popping tops and pouring Jack.

 

[shockey]

i loathe all these snide, cynical remarks urging youngin's to run from journalism. crap, i was told the same thing in the late '70s. the biz has changed constantly in my 32 years aboard and will continue to do so.

my middle son is a h.s. senior applying to schools featuring journalism programs. if i told him to run and try biology, his reaction would be the same as mine was, "right now, this is what i'm best at and most interested in. biology? are you nuts? if/when i change my path it won't be for freakin' biology. gimme a break. gimme some time to find my way. this is a marathon, not a sprint..."

bless him.

 

[sgreenwell]

i loathe all these snide, cynical remarks urging youngin's to run from journalism. crap, i was told the same thing in the late '70s. the biz has changed constantly in my 32 years aboard and will continue to do so.

my middle son is a h.s. senior applying to schools featuring journalism programs. if i told him to run and try biology, his reaction would be the same as mine was, "right now, this is what i'm best at and most interested in. biology? are you nuts? if/when i change my path it won't be for freakin' biology. gimme a break. gimme some time to find my way. this is a marathon, not a sprint..."

bless him.

I agree with this. I advise for a high school paper, and a daily college paper. Both of them know the industry is in horrible shape, but plenty of them still want to write and major in journalism. Newspaperman, you beating them over the head with, "Well this industry is ****ing horrible!" is probably just more of what they've already heard. They're probably far more interested in your day-to-day job, some of your high and low moments covering things in the field, etc.

 

[reformedhack]

With every classroom visit and lecture hall appearance, I offer these thoughts:

This is a fun job, but there are tradeoffs for having fun. What you love right now probably will not have the same thrill for you five years from now, and most definitely will not 10 years from now. So before you get into this racket, you need to know what you're going to have to give up. And if it still sounds good to you after that, send me your resume.

 

[newspaperman]

Shockey and sgreenwell, I'm not screaming at them to run from journalism, but what I do want them to understand is that this industry is changing quickly. And as of right now, the industry has no idea how it will survive in the future.

I'm in my 20's and I can honestly say that I don't have one friend or associate who goes to a newsstand to buy a newspaper. It just isn't part of our routine anymore; I'm just being honest. People want their news quick, fast and in a jiffy. And newspapers don't follow that model.

And everyone keeps saying "let them do what they love." At what point do you stop doing what you love because you can't afford rent?

 

[Dick Whitman]

i loathe all these snide, cynical remarks urging youngin's to run from journalism.

I don't see any comments to that effect.

My advice, as always: Major in something other than journalism. It separates you from the pack. The best journalists are excellent writers and reporters, but also knowledgeable about politics, science, criminal justice, economics, or whatever else. Especially science, and maybe economics, because I think the journalist who can break down that kind of technical gobbledy-gook for public consumption is a valued commodity, particularly since such a high percentage of people going into journalism are unfortunately more literary types than wonks.

 

[Dick Whitman]

And everyone keeps saying "let them do what they love." At what point do you stop doing what you love because you can't afford rent?

The dumbest ass advice ever conjured is: "Do what you love, and the money will follow."

 

[newspaperman]

You hit the nail on the head, ****. It's okay to do what you love in your free time, but at the end of the day we all have rent, utilities, gas, etc. to pay for and journalism nowadays can barely cover those expenses. Sometimes doing what you love will leave you broke.

To be honest, I've been applying to positions outside of the industry and hope to freelance in my free time. I'm sorry, I didn't go deep into student loan debt to eat ramen noodles and tap water. There has to be something better than this.