I knew something wasn’t right.
When everything in the journalism world started to seem like a theory rather then an actual practice, I found myself daydreaming about the day I would go out and actually be able to experience what I was learning. In graduate school, it’s easy to focus more on academics then on actually practicing what you’re studying. I knew that’s what was happening to me when I found my little tape recorder in the corner of my desk drawer. It was dusty. The batteries were dead. Need I say more?
At the end of last semester, I made a decision. I was going to go back to work. But, there was a slight problem. I hadn’t worked since I moved to Gainesville in the fall of 2006. I was a little hesitant, not to mention a little rusty. And then I saw this class.
“This is an intermediate reporting and production course in which students gather information using journalism practices, such as in-person interviews, and learn to use various technologies to produce journalism stories for online and other digital platforms. No prior experience with the tools is necessary. Some experience in reporting (e.g., an internship or completion of a reporting course) is required.”
Perfect! The description of the course read like it was written for me. How could I possibly turn this down?
This class offers skills that every journalist should possess. In undergrad, the focus remains on providing a strong base of proper grammar and punctuation. The reporting skills for journalism majors are strictly focused on being able to get good quotes, whether it be using a recorder or simply by jotting them down on paper. For photography majors, you are only taught how to handle a camera but not how to write a piece to go along with that wonderful photo. This course offers a journalist everything. It provides a complete package. It covers reporting, photography, and online journalism through multimedia tools.
I wish to learn how to use different types of technologies to become more efficient in the modern day newsroom. I wish to be able to state the facts and show the different dimensions of a story through as many outlets as possible. I want to be able to deliver the whole package. Also, getting back in the reporting groove won’t be so bad either.
