From what I have observed, it is more about experience, experience, experience, than what you have learned in school!
2006-10-03 15:03:49 · 3 answers · asked by Ohay 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
In my experience as a former journalist, the best journalists were not journalism majors. J-school seems to indoctrinate the masses into thinking inside the box, in my humble opinion.
But to get your resume looked at, unfortunately, you need a 4-year degree in J or a related field (like English). Otherwise, experience can you get into low-paying small papers, but not the big outfits.
With a 2-year degree in Commercial Art, I was at several small papers. I would find myself training J-school grads how to actually do the job, and they'd go off to bigger papers. Despite years of exepeience, several awards and good clips, not having the BA slammed many a door at larger papers. All the small local papers who regularly saw my stuff made me offers, but none could pay me anything decent.
Whatever you do, go for a 4-year degree. I recommend English or Lit, but build good clips, either at a college paper, or if you have a car, be a stringer for a local paper (they always need people to cover local government boards).
2006-10-03 15:29:12 · answer #1 · answered by kent_shakespear 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have no personal experience in journalism. However, considering how uneducated and idiotic some journalists sound, I've got to argue that getting an education can only help you. It's not enough to report the news, you need to be able to put every story in historical context (in your own mind if nowhere else).
2006-10-03 23:25:58 · answer #2 · answered by LilyRT 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's probably true of any field, but most require that you pay your dues first. Also, assuming you are talking about print journalism, very few high school graduates today write well enough to be of any use to a newspaper.nh
2006-10-03 22:12:54 · answer #3 · answered by neniaf 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋