“J-SCHOOLING”

The blog called “Let’s be honest about J-school” is written by Patrick Thornton. He informs people about why they should or should not attend journalism school. Although his piece is highly rated and it showcases both positive and negative aspects of attending a journalism school, he focuses most of the attention on the latter. Top-ranked J-schools are viewed as “horribly outdated” with “outdated curriculums”. Patrick firmly believes that if one attends a journalism program, one should be taught how to start one’s own projects, thus becoming entrepreneurial. The main realisation that should be made is that the present and future of journalism has made its mark on the (social) web. This obviously then leaves little room for admiration of journalists. Patrick even goes so far as to show how a top J-school has little or no impact on a graduate who admits to getting most of his meaningful and practical connections while working and not while studying.

Another negative notion about J-schooling that Patrick mentions is the idea that professors at most of these prestigious schools/institutions are ‘old-fashioned’ in a sense and not in tune with modern technology, journalism, the social web and web design. Another idea is that a postgraduate degree in journalism is not always the better or safer option. One has to firstly question the motives and long term goals of one’s foreseen career, thus making it easier to choose wisely and not ending up wasting time studying. Patrick also says that hoping to get connections or improving writing skills whilst doing a postgraduate degree, should not at all influence the choice of studying further. He feels, from experience, that most connections come from being active in the journalism/working community. Social networks such as Twitter and Wired journalists also help. Most of his connections were built online but Patrick feels that this is where journalism is going anyway.

Patrick not only mentions other options, besides J-schooling, but he also feels that writing skills are overrated. An important and perhaps most salient point in his blog is that reporting is the heart of journalism and not writing. He believes that great journalism has always been about great reporting. However, he still encourages those who already have training in writing and says that the best way to improve one’s writing is to do more of it.

A comment was made by King Kaufman who feels that journalism education can either be academic or it can be a trade school. He learned basic skills during his years of studying at a ‘grad J-school’ (UC-Berkeley) but made connections whilst working at the San Francisco Examiner. This then, in essence, nicely compliments Patrick’s thoughts on J-schooling.