Future of Newspapers - Journalism Schools in The U.S.

Journalism Schools in The U.S.

The US journalism schools are also pressured to adapt to the changing landscape. At the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, part of Arizona State University, a course on “The Business of Journalism” was retitled "“The Business and Future of Journalism” Introductory level courses at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University include “Multimedia Storytelling” and “Introduction to 21st-Century Media.” As print journalism wanes, journalism schools are focusing on the internet as a distribution medium, and are recalibrating courses to hone skills needed for jobs in the 21st century. Schools now include classes on computer programming as well as entrepreneurship. Rich Beckman, a professor at the University of Miami, said “There were deans all over the country saying, ‘We’re never going to teach computer programming in J-school.’ Well, now they are.” Centers for teaching new media innovation are being created at Columbia University and the City University of New York.

Although newspapers are struggling, and journalism jobs being eliminated, applications at the nation's journalism schools are increasing. The Columbia Journalism School reports a 44% jump from 2008, and the Annenberg School for Communication reports a 20% increase. Other schools report similar increases.