The Editors Weblog has posted this today. An interesting return to the subject of journalism training, or to use a more funky phrase, j-schools. Word.

Anyway, they asked Jeff Jarvis and Roy Greenslade a few great questions. This comment from Roy is a real nail-head-hitter:

“These students grew up in a period of transition. Almost all of them have grown up with the Net. The oddity is that they’re all seeking ‘old media’ jobs, because these are perceived as being more stable, although this traditional media structure is all in the period of breakdown. I don’t think they’re yet convinced of that though – they’re not taking this fragmentation seriously.”

Absolutely spot on. Our course here at Lincoln is certainly geared with that frame of mind. The phrase “It’s only for online” crops up time and time again… I think I’m guilty of using it myself sometimes.

I think most online courses, where journalism is concerned, have the wrong final goal. I’ve yapped on and on about how our course for online is a glorified Dreamweaver tutorial. What use is that? None. First, find me a news organisation where the journalists are designing the websites. If you manage that, find me one that uses Dreamweaver 4 to do it. Not a chance — yet that’s what we’re taught here. I almost expected to told about a new design idea called ‘frames’. Fortunately it wasn’t that drastic — but almost.

At Lincoln, we’re taking it on ourselves. I’ve arranged for The Linc — the student newspaper I edit — to cover the SU elections online with a live coverage project. We’ve got a blog, a load of digital cameras, a flickr mobile account, some TV cameras.. and, of course, a team of excellent young journalists. I hope we can pull it off.

Answer me this: As a trainee journalist, what learning experience is more important to our careers? The one we’ve had to INVENT ourselves, or the one I pay an awful lot of money for?

Pretty frightening.

UCLan seem to have got it right, it has to be said.

On a brighter note: Thanks, Roy, for the compliment. It is very much appreciated…

Greenslade: After going through the program, several students immediately became videojournalists, so I suppose that’s a form of pioneering. On a more philosophical level, there’s the example of Dave Lee, probably Britain’s leading student journalist blogger.