There’s been quite a stooshie around journalism training and education these last few days. Paul Bradshaw had posed the question: “how important is it students have a blog?” I’d replied, in comments, that it was pretty important. A student with a blog shows they can (or can’t) write unedited. It shows they have motivation, and an interest in the world around them. It shows they can use a computer. It’s bound to make them better journalists, and to help them get a job.

All this sparked some interesting conversations, including one at Buzzmachine, where Jeff Jarvis flattered and alarmed and me by saying he was quoting my ill-tempered advice to his students that they should all get blogging, like, yesterday.

Actually, even in sunny mood I still think it’s true. Yet when I ask groups of student journalists who keeps a blog, only a few hands go up. I’ve no idea where the rest of them plan to work, but it’s hard to imagine a branch of journalism where some kind of understanding of new media isn’t going to help. And, even if there were such a branch, blogs are only the vehicle for enthusiasm - no journalism student could lose out from showing some, either generally or around a niche subject.

One has to fear the time-honoured j-student heroes - Hunter S Thompson, Woodward and Bernstein and John Pilger - don’t offer many pointers in the direction of new media. As my office neighbour is fond of saying, we need new heroes - digital ones. Too many of today’s graduates are still dreaming of reaching the cigarette-stained newsrooms of the past.

But that’s not to say you can’t take good print journalists and make them good digital ones, which makes media strategist Paul Conley’s blogged outburst of a few days ago so profoundly wrong. “The difficult truth is that people who can’t insert a hyperlink, who won’t read a blog, who don’t know how to work with Photoshop and can’t upload a video file just aren’t worth having around anymore,” he wrote two years ago. Now, he’s urging employers not to even offer training in web skills.

Conley’s mistake is, of course, that of the classic digital media enthusiast’s - of confusing use of tools with the journalism itself. Yes, technology influences the output (heavily) - that’s why, for instance, the rise of blogged journalism really matters.

But there are fewer really good journalists in this world than there are skilled users of blog software, which is why we’ve got to welcome the good journalists into the new world - and pave their way as well as possible - if the old skills we still need are to abide. Knowing how to use the tools doesn’t mean you can write, or research, or entertain, or think.

Of course, if you’re a journalism student with any sense, you’ll spot the opportunity here: be a really good journalist with great digital skills too. You’ll be in huge demand. But to get there, you’d best start blogging now.


COMMENTS / 13 COMMENTS

[...] for journalism students 18 July 2008 Posted by Jonathan Hewett in Uncategorized. trackback Neil McIntosh, head of editorial development for guardian.co.uk: A student with a blog shows they can (or [...]

Why (and how) blogging matters for journalism students « JournalismCity added these pithy words on Jul 18 08 at 3:20 pm

Not just journalism students, Neil. There has been a recent spate of time served hacks here in Scotland, many of them former industry award winners, who have decided to teach themselves new tricks and start blogging. They have come to realise they have to adapt to keep up, fully expecting the next generation to come into our world fully tooled up for the web. At worst, a student blog can be seen as the new ‘clippings we had to pull out at interviews in days gone by. At best, it could be the difference between one candidate outshining another, simply for trying that little bit harder. of course, it all means nought it they are shit on a doorstep! What good being able to embed a pic if you can’t get the collect in the first place. And that balance has to be the trick for those training our bright young talents to deliver..blogs and all.

Shaun Milne added these pithy words on Jan 15 08 at 8:57 pm

Bravo, nice to finally see that someone recognises that being a great modern journalist isn’t just about blogging and twitter and facebook groups and RSS feeds and all that.
Making contacts, finding stories, understanding the community they work in and creating good copy have always been, and will always be the most important skills for journalists.
The people saying let’s abandon journalists who are reluctant about the digital future because they’re just holding us back are showing a breathtaking arrogance, particularly as I suspect they’ve not filed a cracking story, done a door knock or phoned round the emergency services in their lives. I’d suggest, as Neil has here, that Web 2.0 skills are a LOT easier to teach than being a great journalist.

Tom added these pithy words on Jan 15 08 at 11:16 pm

Shaun - you’re absolutely right, of course, and I’ve noticed the rush of blogs from Scottish scribes - and very entertaining they are, too. Wonder if you’ve sparked a trend? You can only hope it keeps on catching.

Neil McIntosh added these pithy words on Jan 16 08 at 8:44 am

I agred that all student journalists, and also working journalists, should be trained in all aspects of new media.

In the first instance, that should be the responsibility of the training schemes but after that the onus should be on the employers to make sure that their journalists are web literate.

Web 2.0 skills won’t make you a great journalist, but they should make you a better journalist.

Colin Kerr added these pithy words on Jan 16 08 at 11:47 am

My problem with blogging, as evidenced on my own blog, is that I have very little to say. I am a journalism student in the US, and I’m definitely cutting my chops with multimedia, but I don’t want to blog just for the sake of having a blog. I don’t want my multimedia to be gratuitous. I think it should serve a purpose to forward a story or issue. It’s like nudity in a movie: It’s usually nice to see, but is it always necessary? I like to blog because, yes, it’s increasingly important, but I don’t want blog for the sake of saying I do it. I’d feel much more comfortable if I had something important to say…like you fine folks.

Alex Parker added these pithy words on Jan 16 08 at 10:23 pm

And yet … don’t writers, well, write? Just as footballers have to practise doing interesting things with the ball, so surely anyone who aspires to write should be honing her skills on a regular basis? And I’ve always loved the skill of someone who can spin entertaining writing out of thin air.

chris added these pithy words on Jan 17 08 at 12:14 am

Hi Alex - as regular readers will attest, I frequently have nothing to say - and then say it badly :)

I agree with Chris that, to an extent, it’s a valuable skill to spin something out of nothing. All columnists do it; the best ones do so effortlessly and invisibly.

But I’d imagine, Alex, that if you sat down with a notebook and thought of all the things you care about - be it family, sports, film, music, other arts or pastimes, you’d find a few things you could write about. A blog doesn’t have to be about a single given subject (the common thread can just be your experience, thoughts and writing). I bet you have something to say - and it needn’t be “important” to be worth saying.

Neil McIntosh added these pithy words on Jan 17 08 at 9:09 am

BTW Alex - I’ve just checked out your blog and, turns out, you can write very well. So first hurdle cleared. That you’re also one of MTV’s election correspondents tells me you perhaps have plenty to say too - or will very soon…

Neil McIntosh added these pithy words on Jan 17 08 at 9:12 am

Good point by Alex.

If you’ve nothing interesting to say don’t bother blogging.

You don’t need to blog every day but sometimes you can blog three or four times a day if you feel inspired or excited about a particular topic.

Colin Kerr added these pithy words on Jan 17 08 at 10:16 am

Thanks, Neil. I can only hope!

Alex Parker added these pithy words on Jan 17 08 at 5:40 pm

I look at it simply, if anyone cares and honestly has time to read anything I have to say,then good for me, good for them,good for mankind.
Seriously 1st amendment springs to mind here people,freedom of speech?albeit censored.
Some keep a diary others blog, and the real lucky ones get to scream it from the rooftops!

Cinephile added these pithy words on Jan 18 08 at 11:45 am

I think that wanting to learn about new technology and finding ways to reach readers is an essential skill for any journalist.

Mainly because the skills which a good journalist uses to build up contact lists, find stories from their readership, and get audiences interested/outraged from the first few words are all things which tie in perfectly with creating good web content.

Things like SEO are just helping the reader find you - just the same as a great headline.

Tools like RSS just give you an influx of ideas and reports to play with.

Things like social networking is just an easier way of connecting with more contacts and readers.

The only difference is that now reader/consumer/audience will expect to create and air their responses and their own content, and to discuss it with the author…

Badger Gravling added these pithy words on Jan 18 08 at 5:25 pm

SPEAK / ADD YOUR COMMENT
Comments are moderated.

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

Return to Top