Claire Yan, Assignment #1

Hi, my name is Claire Yan, and I am a sophomore journalism student at the University of Maryland. Some challenges facing journalists today largely revolve around the new technologies, equipment, and journalism mediums that are becoming so popular. There is constantly new multimedia equipment that journalists must become well-acquainted with in order to keep up with the fast paced world of journalism. This multimedia is used for newer forms of journalism, like online newspapers, social networks such as Twitter, and blogs (such as photo blogs).

The new journalism mediums also pose another challenge for journalists: the dying popularity of print journalism. Small newspapers are going out of print, and big newspapers are opting to post their news online. The online world of news is gaining strength while newspapers are weakening, and this poses a threat to newspaper reporters, writers, and their jobs, especially in today's weak economy. However, if journalists make sure they stay on top of all the latest media and technology innovations, this can help better ensure their job stability as journalists.

Assignment # 1 Charlie DeBoyace

Hi my name is Charlie DeBoyace, I’m a sophomore journalism major at the University of Maryland. There are a lot of challenges facing journalist today, chief among is the fundamental change in the way people consume information. We now live in a 24-hour news cycle. No longer will breaking news have to wait for the evening edition. News can be broken on 24 hour news networks such as CNN or MSNBC or on internet news sites at any time of day.

So, today’s journalist must learn a whole new set of schools that previous generations didn’t. Such as the ability to shoot and edit, video and photos and of course record and edit audio clips. So, contrary to popular belief, journalism is not dying, it is simply evolving and journalist must adapt with it.

Nick Foley, Assignment #1, Self-Interview

The biggest challenge facing journalists today is staying relevant in news and in technology. We have to update news minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour as opposed to once or twice a day in newspaper form. We also must learn how to write news, shoot video, and take audio, whereas journalists used to only write news. Since journalism has advanced technologically, we have to make sure that we are providing the most unique forms of news to our news consumers, and if we don't, we won't get a job. It's that simple.

Amanda Perez, Assignment #1: Challenges of Multimedia Journalism

Hello, my name is Amanda Perez and I’m a sophomore journalism major at the University of Maryland. Here in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, it’s very evident that the field of journalism is changing rapidly. If we’re going to succeed, journalists must evolve with it. It’s up to journalists to use multimedia to our advantage and find the most compelling way to tell a story. Ten years ago, a great journalist may only have known how to write. These days, we must be much more technologically savvy to stay competitive. Necessary skills including shooting and editing video, taking and editing photos, and using the Internet. The production of a broadcast piece that may have taken five people in the past is now a one-man-band enterprise.

Journalists also have much more responsibility now. With the Internet, there’s pressure to get news out to the public much faster. There’s a constant battle between speed and credibility. Online, anyone can be a reporter of sorts through the use of Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. This focus on speed often causes the amount of editing to decrease. Because fewer eyes see stories before they’re made available to the public, journalists must be especially careful with their writing and fact checking. It’s also up to journalists to make sure any information they get from the Internet is credible.

Despite the new challenges that multi-media journalists are faced with, these changes in the field of journalism are exciting. The news is more accessible to people than ever before. A good multi-media journalist is able to tell a story much more effectively than solely through print. The future of journalism is uncertain but if we adapt to these changes, it could thrive.

Spencer Israel Assignment #1

 

Hi. I'm Spencer Israel, a sophomore journalism major here at the University of Maryland. The biggest problem faced by today's young journalists I feel is the competition. Look at it this way. Guys like Walter Cronkite and Howard Cosell were really good at what they did, but they also got lucky. They hopped on the journalism bandwagon before it really got popular. Even print journalists had an easier path back in the day. With newspapers being so successful, and there was always going to be a job waiting for you at a third rate paper, whether you wanted it or not. 

But today, that's not the case. The lines between print and broadcast have been blurred, and now, journalists are expected to have a wide variety of skills-- such as still photography, multimedia, and audio. And with newspapers going down by the wayside, jobs at premium websites, networks, and stations are at a premium. The result is veterans competing with college graduates for the same jobs, and there just aren't enough. And that, is what I feel the biggest problem faced by today's young journalists.

Jenn Davis, Assignment #1, Flip Profile

Years ago, the word “journalist” evoked the image of a newspaper writer. Maybe they worked for the New York Times or the Washington Post. But today, we have a field of new mediums for journalism, including an ever-changing class of rising journalists. 

Part of the challenges that journalists face is the need to be multifaceted. With the invention of social media, like Twitter or Facebook, and the addition of online publications, such as the Washington Post online, a competing journalist must understand and utilize these open spaces for information.

Simply a pencil and paper will not suffice in the current market. A journalist has to become a photographer, videographer, and a radio personality at any given time. It is imperative that they can perform these functions by themselves, as employers look for journalists who can work on their own.

One of the bigger challenges that I think journalists face is the increasing competition between amateur journalists and professional journalists. Amateur journalists are the ordinary people who use social media as a way to disseminate news. With today’s technology, nearly everyone has access to the same media tools, however it is harder to tell if these amateur abide by the same principals of professionals, such as the obligation to tell the truth.

This means that journalists are constantly in a race to provide not only the fastest, but the most accurate information to their readers or viewers.

Journalists may face a changing industry, but it also an exciting one!

Eric Garment Assignment #1

Hi, I’m Eric Garment, and I’m currently a sophomore broadcast journalism major at the University of Maryland-College Park. I hope to one day enter the field of sports journalism, either as a broadcaster or a writer. However, modern journalism poses problems to people such as myself.

One of those problems is money. As print journalism is seemingly going by the wayside and online journalism continues to see new entrants in the form of people who just wish to have their opinion heard regardless of compensation, it seems to be increasingly harder to get a job as a journalist. It almost seems as if getting a journalism job has become like bidding for a construction contract: the lowest price will win.

Additionally, the existence of marquee jobs in sports journalism has limited the pool of positions that people desire. The top job seems to be at ESPN, and some students fresh out of college may be unwilling to take a job at a local sports desk.

One other problem in modern journalism is that if someone can’t do all aspects of a job, they’re potentially less appealing to an employer.

All of these things are problems that myself and people like me will face in all kinds of journalism, not just sports, as the field continues to change.