The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted jobs in journalism would decrease moderately through 2018. I'm challenging that.
People are up in arms with the state of the economy, and some who want to study journalism shy away from the "failing career." Now more than ever, people are consuming news. I like to think my colleagues at The Miami Student are the watchdogs for Miami University. The university budget is an important and challenging issue, especially with the major cuts the university has to make as a result of the economy. The editorial board advises the administration each week on what's best for the Miami community. We joke sometimes that if The Miami Student were not reporting on some of these issues, the student body may have no idea how their money was being spent.
I can't predict the future, but I know journalism is a career that will not go away. When people ask me what my major is, I joke about how I'm going into journalism for the money.
Journalism is in a transitional stage. Advertising is down, which is a reflection of the economy, and therefore, newsrooms are downsizing significantly. Where there were once 175 employees, there are 50 … or worse. The Birmingham Eccentric, my hometown's newspaper in Michigan, is struggling to stay afloat. Local celebrities like Linda Solomon, a famous photographer from the area, contribute articles in the hopes of keeping it alive.
At the Doing Good Journalism event held in spring 2010, a panel of six award-winning journalists displayed their work. One gave me the glimmer of hope journalism majors sometimes need.
"I feel like I won the lottery as far as my job," Hagit Limor, Channel 9 investigative reporter, said.
Limor stressed journalism jobs are being created and there's hope for young journalists in college.
"The tide, I think, has changed," she said.
Without good journalism, people discover there is no democracy, Limor said.
I wanted to hug her.
Journalism is alive. I'll agree that jobs in journalism will decrease through 2018, but not because they aren't out there. Journalism is for those who are constant learners, good listeners and who want to inform and help people. People shy away from journalism because no one knows where it's headed. I don't have a solution, I just know there is one.
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