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OurBlook interview with Jannette L. Dates, dean of John H. Johnson School of Communications, Howard University
 How are journalism schools adapting to the new media landscape? What are some of the major changes that are being implemented?
JD: Faculty members are focusing on ways in which social media can be used by students to link with others of like mind to share information, stories, and new ideas such as techniques for reaching out to others. They are stressing the fundamentals, while helping students embrace new media. We have established partnerships with Bloomberg News, Reuters and other media outlets so that students can be taught by a team that includes professionals working in the industry currently and faculty members from our program giving students the best of both worlds. Our newest faculty members in the Department of Journalism recently left the news industry, because of retirements or down-sizing. They bring a wealth of experience to the academy and are offering workshops in new media usage for colleagues and students.
What are some of the challenges that journalism departments are currently facing?
JD: --Keeping up with the media landscape, with the constantly changing terrain, is a challenge. --Motivating students to use their social media tools as professional instruments rather than just for fun. -- Helping students understand the value of preserving the fundamentals that include strong writing skills, research savviness, careful reporting techniques. -- Inspiring them to believe in the value of journalism as a fundamental tool of our democratic process, and -- even when they leave us --to resist falling into patterns that are detrimental to democracy.
What are the most important skills that journalism grads need?
JD: To be able to write clearly and succinctly, becoming skilled journalists who recognize the public service function of journalism, serving communities they help to keep healthy by their contributions to the truthful and accurate flow of information.
Are there more students than before, fewer or about the same, and why? Have they had to make significant investments in technology and equipment?
JD: We have more students than ever in journalism. It is the second largest major on our campus. We believe students are attracted to our first rate faculty and they are eager to learn ways to help design the journalism processes of the future. Many of them come to us ready with ideas about how they want to change journalism systems. -- They invest in new technology and they take advantage of the labs and systems offered by the university.
Journalists are having a hard time adapting the new media landscape. How are journalism professors faring?
JD: Our faculty members are struggling also, but they are finding ways to strategize to use the systems they have to mimic some of the newest systems.
Is there a shortage of professors who can teach these new skills?
JD: We have been lucky. Partially because we are located in the communications capital of the world, we have attracted strong adjunct and full-time faculty members with the skills and experience to help our students.
Do traditional journalism schools/departments face competition from online universities?
JD: I am sure the competition will increase and affect traditional Programs, but so far, we have not felt a significant decline in our numbers or in quality.
What advice would you give current educators?
JD: Stay tuned in to what is happening in the industry and help students obtain great internship opportunities so that they will be competitive. -- Focus on what the academy can do to help the industry: meaningful, useful research studies, well- prepared students, willingness to collaborate. --recognize that journalism's change from the paper to the digital platform, with citizens as the majority of writers/bloggers, offers opportunities that students (who are a part of that citizen group initially) are eager to embrace. They need our guidance.
How many new journalism graduates are getting jobs, and what kind of jobs are they getting?
JD: We encourage our students to obtain many internships while they are in school. When they are ready to graduate, the top students are snapped up, the middle students do all right and the bottom students struggle.
Do internships still exist? If so, how have they changed?
Yes, we see many opportunities. They stress students being committed to the work and encourage strong participatory roles for them as they learn the operations. That remains the same. The tools have changed.
(Dr. Jannette L. Dates served as a faculty member in the radio, television and film departments as well as associate dean. She speaks frequently about mass media on national television and radio programs such as CSPAN, NPR and BET. Dr. Dates has also written chapters for more than 15 books.) |
