Why Journalism and Where Can This Path Take Me?

As I embark upon my final year of studies at Bournemouth University, my thoughts are again faced with the question Why Journalism? What directed me to study by the coast and why is this course for me?

 In Making Journalists: Diverse models, global issues, Brian McNair stated “journalism, in all its varieties, is the constant background and accompaniment of everyday life.” I think we can all agree this is true as we are constantly surrounded and are kept informed of the world around us.

 I was originally unsure as to whether the journalistic route was for me. Having never studied journalism in depth before university, I found I had less knowledge than some of my peers around me. I’d never considered a career in journalism before and was ignorant to many media forms.

 However, through studying English at Bournemouth for the past two years, my mind has been opened to a variety of media and the ways in which news and information is conveyed to the public. As a generation we are now in an age surrounded by technology and seem to be ever looking for the latest gadget to entertain us.

 

 Former journalism student Katy Cowan examined how the digital era has changed journalism since she graduated university 14 years ago. She notes the "digital era has caused such huge shockwaves across the entire industry, it has transformed the very language of journalism." But essentially the role of telling stories remains the same. With emphasis on older methods of publishing, it is clear to see how things have changed. With one of the biggest changes being that journalists are now increasingly involved with their audience, the internet can be seen to have closed the gap between the writer and the audience.

 I for one can admit to being connected on a wealth of social media available where I, like everyone else, can voice my opinions and make myself known internationally (if I so wished). It would seem opportunities not available a decade ago are now easily accessible, as long as you have access to the Internet.

 I find being actively involved in social media sites motivates me to publicise what I’m thinking or doing as it’s encouraging to believe it is being read by someone, wherever they may be. After experiencing a recent placement in print journalism it soon became apparent that although I may have deemed a piece of writing adequate, there wasn’t enough room for everything in print.

 However, being thrown out of my social media comfort zone and into an office setting was inspiring. The press releases I worked with felt worthwhile and it was exciting to interact with members of the public. The scale of the writing was much larger than what I had previously worked with online but the workload was enjoyable.
 

 I’m still unsure as to whether I will enter a career in journalism but through my upcoming blog posts I will reflect on the multimedia aspects of journalism and my thoughts and feelings on current news and affairs.

 Student Kristina Kulyabina opened up about why she is interested in journalism and the aspects of multimedia which are allowing journalists to be more creative and present their work in a more visual manner. She notes this will increase the numbers of jobs in the journalism industry through the employment of videographers and bloggers.