Dear Globe Readers,
As print news outlets cut staff and “go digital” in droves, the traditional employment path for journalism and media students is swiftly disappearing.
Once upon a time, an aspiring journalist could rely on a singular skill set, like writing or photography, to carry their careers. Today, someone with the same ambitions must possess these skills alongside a variety of others.
From social media savvy to writing ability, and visual creativity to technical knowledge, competence in these areas is no longer a bonus for a potential employer, but a requisite.
This summer, I had the opportunity to spend two weeks traveling across India on a Salt Lake Community College study abroad trip. While my classmates were there to teach children and women in rural India about entrepreneurship, I was there to document the trip and students’ experiences.
Jet lag from a 12-hour time difference, a minimum of 10 hours of activities and traveling per day, cellular and WiFi connectivity issues, irregular mealtimes, and a few hours of sleep per night made for a devastating schedule. Technical difficulties and publishing directions not reaching Globe administrators only added insult to injury. Moreover, when I’d sit down to write, the neurons simply refused to fire.
Though this might sound like a nightmare, experiences like this force one to adapt to their environment and circumstances. So, while the trip was no walk in the park, a plain truth arose.
Journalism, today more than ever, is about adapting to the news landscape. Writing, images, sounds, all play a part in telling a story to the best of one’s ability. But part of even beginning to tell a story means one must be prepared to adapt to anything and accommodate necessary changes before they are insurmountable.
The Globe is more than a community college paper. It is a space where students can test the waters of reporting and writing, while slowly incorporating skill sets that are marketable. In addition, as the “news-scape” changes in format and delivery, student staff will have a chance to see the extent to which digital has overthrown print.
Drawing from my experience in India, I aim to point the Globe in a direction that allows it to adapt to its environment, producing thoughtful, impassioned print and digital content while endowing students with what they need to succeed as creators.
Noah Lewis
Editor-in-Chief, The Globe SLCC
