As a journalism major, it seems like I can't escape people and their skeptical questions when I'm asked what I am studying. "Isn't journalism dying?" and "Won't it be hard to find a job?" are two of people's favorite questions to ask. However, contrary to this popular belief, journalism today is actually thriving.
Many people today argue that journalism is dying based on the sheer fact that there have been changes moving away from more traditional forms of journalism, such as print. But to be fair, journalism has never been a consistent field. It has always evolved according to advancements in technology, and today is no exception. Since technology has drastically advanced over the years, it is only logical that the dynamic of journalism has changed as well. Just because radio and newspaper are no longer the most preferred outlets in terms of news sources, doesn't mean that the industry is no longer relevant. There has simply been a shift in the popularity of mediums, with web based and television news at the forefront. This shift has also allowed for new genres of the field to exist including entertainment and even photojournalism.
It's also hard to argue that journalism is dying considering society today is more aware of what is happening than ever before. People are able to be informed not only on what is going on locally and nationally, but internationally as well. This is due to the various forms of journalism available today. The ease of access, and ability to choose from infinite news outlets contributes to why the public is more aware and engaged today. The option to choose from so many places is actually an advantage when compared to the past spectrum of news outlets when there were significantly less places to choose from, and a longer time between news happening and when it was actually released. Now instead of having to wait days to find out the latest news, it is available almost immediately with people being able to follow developing stories step by step.
Personally, I don't get worried or nervous about the common reservations people have about journalism. Just like any other field, it's not going to stay the same forever and I'm not going to let that stop me from pursuing my passion.
