Comments on University of Nonsensical Happenings: Instantaneous Comminution: The Rebirth of Journali...

Well, it's never too late to take some night clas...

2010-01-06T19:31:59.397-05:00

Well, it's never too late to take some night classes! Thanks for the tips.

I actually just took a peek at some of the courses...

2010-01-06T00:05:27.867-05:00

I actually just took a peek at some of the courses offered at UNH-Manchester in their "Communication Arts" curriculum. The university should seriously consider bringing parts of that program to UNH, it would be a huge benefit to the journalism department. Also, there is a digital photography class now too. I graduated too early apparently.

I hope you are right, but you also can't deny the ...

2010-01-05T22:37:03.680-05:00

I hope you are right, but you also can't deny the fact that there has been a decrease of public interest in printed journalism in recent years (mostly because of cheaper online sources.) I am not saying that one is better than the other, both sources have their own pros and cons. Either way online journalism is on the rise and it is a whole new field that is still evolving.

I have to say too that I don't think papers will b...

2010-01-05T22:19:39.495-05:00

I have to say too that I don't think papers will be eliminated all together either. I think there is something valuable with the paper and the fact that it has remained so prominant for hundreds of years without much change at all keeps me thinking that.

Thanks a lot John. I really appreciate the advice....

2010-01-05T21:56:08.280-05:00

Thanks a lot John. I really appreciate the advice. You were exponentially more helpful than my advisor. Just contributing to TNH has been the tipping point in wanting to get into that field. Thanks again!

If you're really interested in journalism as a car...

2010-01-05T21:16:01.890-05:00

If you're really interested in journalism as a career, you have to do more than just switch your major. The UNH program prepares you, essentially, to be a marginally-competent writer at the local newspaper. Journalism isn't just about writing any more, and that the university still keeps it in the English department shows how behind-the-times they are.

If I could go back and plan my courses again, knowing what I know now, here's what I'd do

• Take Newswriting, Advanced Newswriting, Editing and Multimedia reporting.
• Take as many other writing workshop courses are available ie Anything called Advanced Nonfiction Writing".
• Take Technical Writing if they start to include any of the Adobe CS4 programs in the syallabus.
• Consider spending a semester at UNH Manchester taking their video production courses.
• Take photography if they start using digital photography and editing to the course. Consider taking it even if they don't to learn about picture composition and the Rule of Thirds.
• Take courses in computer programming up to a moderately high-level (beyond HTML and CSS).
• Take the new social media class
• Plan for 2 or 3 internships if you can fit them. I think this is one of the biggest faults of the UNH program. Other schools send students out to internships as sophomores, while UNH encourages waiting until the last semester of senior year. That puts UNH students years behind the curve of other schools. Get in a real environment early and try to get a couple different types, such as a local newsroom, a start-up news website and a TV station. The work is practically the same everywhere
• Take scuba diving or rock climbing or something that gets you an unusual type of certification.
• Study abroad during the summer — and document it as a reporter
• Take courses in things like municipal planning, environmental planning, accounting, contract las, libel law, Nonprofit organization and public polling — foundations that will help you find and write complicated stories.

Or if you know your want to be *just* a writer, consider taking the j-classes as a minor and get your major in something like Economics or environmental science or politics. An expertise in those subjects with a solid foundation in writing skills will make you more marketable to news organizations. Same goes for grad schools if you want to go that route.

Meanwhile, get down to TNH and do as much as you can. Stay as a writer though, being a staff editor will limit your time and clips. More than anything, I wish I could have one more year as a writer, while someone else worried about management.

In my humble (and biased) opinion, TNH is more valuable to UNH j-students than the degree program, and until some major changes are made, it will stay that way.

I don't think news in print will be completely eli...

2010-01-05T17:42:54.533-05:00

I don't think news in print will be completely eliminated in the next 10 years, and I'm willing to put money on that.

Personally I don't think news is something that anyone should have to pay for, but when journalists add their insight and opinions then it becomes something of worth and you're right, hopefully they will be able to make enough money with the online sales.

Very true, but when (or if) newspapers do go compl...

2010-01-05T17:09:45.581-05:00

Very true, but when (or if) newspapers do go completely online they will have to charge people to access the sight. The question is how much will people be willing to pay for a years online subscription and will that, plus the money saved from not printing and distributing, equal the amount a regular paper makes now. A lot of newspapers can be read online without a fee, I don't see that lasting too long because people will stop paying for the print edition... which is already happening. So maybe these newspapers are already in a transitional stage.

The other problem is that advertising revenue for ...

2010-01-05T16:51:49.670-05:00

The other problem is that advertising revenue for newspapers from their online sites is significantly less than what their print products traditionally made. Not that I object to journalism majors, of course. Interesting post.