Journalism Education and the Profession: Socialization, Traditions, and Change

• In Event: Journalism Education in the Digital Mediascapes

Abstract

Journalism education is considered to be of growing importance, a growing share of journalists enter the profession through professional education, either on academic or vocational level. Professional education can be an “agent of change” in journalism, raising professional standards and the status of the profession. But it can also have a strong element of conservatism, transfering old values and traditions to students becoming journalists. Journalism education is also a part of the socialization into the profession. Teachers with a professional background give the language and perspectives of professionals to the students, training in practical excercises gives the students experiences and ways of thinking in how journalism is produced in newsrooms.

In different research projects the last years, attitudes and values among both journalists and students in journalism has been studied in Sweden, Poland and Russia. In some of the surveys the questions have been almost similar, making it possible to compare answers from students and professionals. Based on the results in these surveys, some questions will be discussed: Are there any differences between journalism students and professionals regarding professional values and the position of the profession? How is the relation between journalism education and the profession in different media systems? Is the patterns the same, or are there any differences?

The results indicate that an important part of socialization into the profession is still accomplished in the newsrooms, when entering the profession. There are important differences between students and professionals concerning the degree of detachment and identity of the professional journalist. Another common pattern of education in the three countries is the transfer of nationally connected values in journalism through journalism education.

Author

• Gunnar Nygren, Sodertorn U