Published in The Edinboro Spectator: April 4th 2013
The group consists of hundreds of journalism professionals and job seekers looking to connect with people within the field. Me, being a young journalist approaching graduation, joined this group as soon as I read about it.
Seeking advice on breaking into the field of journalism, I asked a question within the group's discussion page.
"I'm a grad student approaching graduation and trying to get my foot in the door as a journalist. Do you have any advice as it pertains to the job search?", I asked.
To my surprise, over 30 people commented with advice and tips for me. Yet, not all of the responses were positive. While I was reading the comments I noticed a few group members had responded in quite a negative tone.
One poster responded, "Yeah, I'd suggest going back to school and getting a law degree."
Another one commented, "Journalism is a dead-end business... students are making a mistake in pursuing what is laughably called a career as a reporter."
Now, I've heard this sentiment many times before.
In fact, as an undergraduate student at Edinboro University, pursuing my degree in print journalism. I even had a guest speaker in one of my reporting classes call journalism "a dying field".
The economy isn't what it used to be, newspapers companies are shutting down, and technology is changing the face of both print and broadcasting journalism as we know them.
Yet, journalism is not dying, it is only evolving.
Yeah, it may be much harder to break into the business these days, but we can't afford to lose hope. A huge problem is that many people already have.
Some are too afraid of change and are so stuck in the way that things USED to be that they cannot adapt to the way that things actually are.
All fields evolve in some way, look at medicine, law, business and entertainment.
What makes people think that journalism is going to be exempt from change?
Maybe we're not living in the same as the era of journalism that our grandparents experienced.
Yet, journalism still matters.
I believe that when a journalist is truly passionate enough about their craft, they don't wait for someone else to validate their skills. They don't wait for some "job" to make them feel like a journalist.
True journalists aren't made by their major or career, they're made by whats in their heart.
True journalists are inquisitive, curious and fearless. Therefore, they FIND and/or CREATE a way to be successful and prosperous at what they do.
So, whether one is a writer for the New York Times, is an anchor on CNN, or simply a blogger, we should take pride in what we do, because our work is monumental.
Journalists are supposed to be society's messengers, the writers of history, the the voices of the voiceless, those who make sense of seemingly senseless times.
They help us to understand this ever-changing world in which we live. They analyze and examine our lives, and as Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living."
People have sacrificed their lives for the sake of journalism
Therefore, to neglect journalism is to neglect a huge part of our lives.
Being a journalist is a heck of a responsibility, yet it is an honor as well. That is something that we all need to remember.
As long as passionate journalists live, journalism will never die.
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