Reporters of the Future Will Be Armed with Technology

As journalism keeps going high-tech, tomorrow’s reporters have a lot more to learn than basic reporting skills. They’re learning how to manipulate a plethora of software, get used to new kinds of hardware and get used to the idea of newsrooms of the future with no walls.

Learning to use blogging software, website creation tools, and content management systems is just as important as learning how important to not bury your lead. No longer one dimensional (or medium) journalists, they must be able to disseminate their stories over digital highways and with a greater sense of immediacy.

As an article by Poynter points out, educators now are forced to make critical decisions about how much software education to add to the curriculum. For example, do aspiring journalists really need classes in how to post blogs? Or can it be assumed that by the time they get to college blogging is old hat?

The experts are divided on how much software education to teach and which specific programs are important. Because today’s journalists are often expected to be as proficient in the online realm as they are in the print or broadcast world.

If they’re expected to shoot video to post on a website, that obviously means learning about video and editing. Nearly all reporters are going to have some sort of Web presence – either by having a blog or just posting their stories to the media outlet’s website – so some basic online skills are critical. And, while it’s happening to some extent today, should we assume tomorrow’s journalist better come to class already comfortable with blogging and its tools, or even knowledge of HTML skills.

There’s also photo-editing programs such as Photoshop, and editing audio; being able to work with databases, as well as programs such as Excel. But, since they are the generation that grew up Googling, that shouldn’t be an issue. Right?

Although the pros disagree which programs and skills are the most relevant, they all concur on one thing, according to Poynter author Laura Ruel. “All agreed that knowledge of software skills will never replace the need to emphasize to students the importance of being critical, curious and analytical thinkers,” she said. “Yet there also was strong sentiment that software is an essential component to journalism education.”

And what about that newsroom with no walls? Already here. With all the whistles and bells available now, today’s digitally-armed journalist doesn’t have to report to any specific newsroom, giving editors the luxury of having more reporters in more places covering news on location.