The days of sipping a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper are becoming a thing of the past. It is undeniable that journalism at its core is a dying trade. Countless newspapers have no choice but to either merge or shut down completely. As a journalism student, this raises some worry about whether I’m choosing the right profession.
While the “news is dying” trend may deter some people from pursuing journalism, this should be considered a huge opportunity to be part of a new era of journalism.
Every industry is making a shift to the Internet, including journalism. Years ago, everyone read newspapers to inform themselves. Now, news outlets have websites with stories posted for anyone to read at any time. As crazy as it sounds, we are still in the early stages of the internet, which leaves so much room for exploration. The future of journalism post-digitalization is out there waiting to be found and implemented into our daily lives. Holographic newspapers, microchips, robots–who knows what the future of journalism holds? Getting into the profession now is a huge opportunity to be a part of something great.
Countless jobs make it feel that creativity must be left at the door, which can be draining. Everyone has a creative spark in their mind that needs to be fed every day, or else it will die out. In journalism, the steps of gathering information, formulating a story, and then actually writing, all work together to scratch that creative itch. You feel a sense of freedom when writing, a direct pipeline from your brain to the page. The satisfaction of a completed piece is unlike any other, as you hope it resonates with your audience as much as it resonates within yourself. Being able to satisfy yourself and others every day through words is why this opportunity is so great.
In the future, as our personal robots pour us a cup of coffee while relaying the news, it will be good to know that journalism is still alive somewhere. Rather than listening to outside noise good careers to go into, look at opportunities, and listen to your inner self begging you to roll the dice on your passion.
