The Future of News
Chicago Tonight: “The Future of News”
Columbia College Journalism Chair Nancy Day and Medill School of Journalism Dean John Lavine were interviewed for a Chicago Tonight segment called “The Future of News” that aired on WTTW-11, the major public television station in Chicago, on Jan. 17. Under Lavine, Medill is emphasizing “integrated marketing,” while at Columbia College Chicago, the Marketing Communication and Journalism departments are completely separate. If you integrate these disciplines, argued Day, “you dilute both.” The segment examined the many recent changes in the economics and delivery of news. The producers taped at both campuses, Northwestern in Evanston and Columbia in the South Loop. The announcer told viewers that both schools are addressing how to educate students “for the media marketplace of the future.” Northwestern has 650 undergraduate journalism students, compared to 718 journalism majors at Columbia as of Fall 2006. It is “a time of profound change,” Day said, one Columbia students are educated for as critical thinkers able to generate and focus story ideas, report them accurately and present them across media platforms. Lavine and Day agreed that consideration of audience is important, but they disagreed on the priority audience should receive. To Lavine, it’s Number One. Day questioned where the line is before you get to “pandering” and “entertainment,” versus the critical news citizens in a democracy need to make informed decisions. The show also took viewers inside a Northwestern computer lab where engineers have designed robot news. The affable professors supervising the project said robots “could put us all out of jobs.” Day emphasized that original reporting is still crucial, requiring curious, intelligent, persistent (human) reporters, whether people get their news from the Internet, television, radio, newspapers, magazines or some medium not yet invented. Otherwise, the content is just endlessly recycled light news, too often about celebrities. In addition to Day, Columbia Chronicle co-editor-in-chief Hayley Graham, was interviewed. She told WTTW producer Jinna Yun that she feels Columbia College Chicago has prepared her well for a journalism career, with its emphasis on hands-on learning and internships. Graham is majoring in Reporting on Health, Science and the Environment. |
