Comments on: Journalism vs academia http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/11/10/journalism-vs-academia/ Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:23:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chris Gaynor http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/11/10/journalism-vs-academia/comment-page-1/#comment-495 Chris Gaynor Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:53:35 +0000 http://www.freelanceunbound.com/?p=2602#comment-495 Although I think parts of the NCTJ are outdated, particularly in the news writing exam part, the NCTJ is still the best way to learn the basics of journalism, and if you are on a course which actually gives you the grounding in how to get a story (they actually tell you to go out there and talk to people to a deadline, then all the better. That's what noSWeat JT's magazine courses taught me. Learning theory is of course interesting, but nothing is more useful than actually doing....After all, on a magazine or newspaper, that's what you'll be doing anyway! http://www.plenty2say.com Although I think parts of the NCTJ are outdated, particularly in the news writing exam part, the NCTJ is still the best way to learn the basics of journalism, and if you are on a course which actually gives you the grounding in how to get a story (they actually tell you to go out there and talk to people to a deadline, then all the better. That’s what noSWeat JT’s magazine courses taught me. Learning theory is of course interesting, but nothing is more useful than actually doing….After all, on a magazine or newspaper, that’s what you’ll be doing anyway!

http://www.plenty2say.com

]]> By: Greg Watts http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/11/10/journalism-vs-academia/comment-page-1/#comment-493 Greg Watts Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:51:26 +0000 http://www.freelanceunbound.com/?p=2602#comment-493 The best way to learn about journalism is to write and try and get published. While I have my doubts about studying a degree in journalism, at least if you are doing this to become a journalist, I do think shorter courses can teach students some of the basics. I teach two courses at Birbeck College, and I think the students get a good understanding of what's involved in journalism and learn about some of the skills needed to become a journalist. My own degree was in English and history. I learned about journalism when I joined a religious weekly newspaper as a reporter. This taught m more than I could ever have learned on a degree course. The best way to learn about journalism is to write and try and get published. While I have my doubts about studying a degree in journalism, at least if you are doing this to become a journalist, I do think shorter courses can teach students some of the basics. I teach two courses at Birbeck College, and I think the students get a good understanding of what’s involved in journalism and learn about some of the skills needed to become a journalist.

My own degree was in English and history. I learned about journalism when I joined a religious weekly newspaper as a reporter. This taught m more than I could ever have learned on a degree course.

]]> By: Cleland Thom http://www.freelanceunbound.com/2009/11/10/journalism-vs-academia/comment-page-1/#comment-490 Cleland Thom Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:15:42 +0000 http://www.freelanceunbound.com/?p=2602#comment-490 BJ - great idea! I've lost count of how many 'journalism graduates' of the BA variety who knew all about the theory and philosphy of journalism but could not actually find or write a story! I found this odd. What would be the point of hiring as plumber to mend a burst pipe if he could only theorise on the 'philosophy of burst pipes', but couldn't actually fix it ... journalism is hands-on, or nothing at all. BJ – great idea! I’ve lost count of how many ‘journalism graduates’ of the BA variety who knew all about the theory and philosphy of journalism but could not actually find or write a story!

I found this odd. What would be the point of hiring as plumber to mend a burst pipe if he could only theorise on the ‘philosophy of burst pipes’, but couldn’t actually fix it … journalism is hands-on, or nothing at all.

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