FIU’s journalism program thrives in changing media landscape


By Susan Feinberg

At a time when thousands of the nation’s newspaper newsroom jobs are being cut due to the economic recession, FIU’s journalism program is adapting and thriving.

Students are still flocking to the program, and applications have even increased slightly. “Ambitious and creative young people see this as an opportunity to help recast and remake journalism,” said School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) Dean Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver.

Part of the draw for prospective students is a new generation of courses that focus on integrating journalism with rapidly changing technology. SJMC now trains students across all platforms in multimedia skills, instructing them in how to write for the web and capture the essence of a story with video and audio. A good deal of this training is based in the SJMC’s new Scripps Howard Multimedia Lab, dedicated one year ago.

Students work in SJMC’s new Scripps Howard Mulitmedia Lab.

Students work in SJMC’s new Scripps Howard Mulitmedia Lab.

Journalism students, who numbered 2,300 in 2008-09, are required to take a multimedia production course early in their studies. Seniors take a capstone class in multimedia journalism, tackling projects such as creating a web site and writing and streaming video for a news magazine.

SJMC student Juan Prado uses the audio booth to tape voice over for multimedia production.

SJMC student Juan Prado uses the audio booth to tape voice over for multimedia production.

While embracing the latest technology, the focus on the standards of good journalism remains. “We’re still emphasizing excellent writing and the ethics and responsibilities of journalists,” Kopenhaver explained.

To keep pace with the current needs and future trends in the industry, SJMC meets regularly with its Professional Leadership Council, a partnership with local newspaper editors, CEOS of advertising and public relations agencies, and leading media professionals.

SJMC also partnered with the Miami Herald, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and the Palm Beach Post to launch the South Florida News Service. This collaboration gives journalism students the opportunity to work as reporters and cover community news, with their articles published in the newspapers and on their web sites.

Armed with training in multimedia formats and impressive portfolios garnered from hands-on experience, FIU’s journalism graduates have a competitive edge when they apply for jobs.

Despite the sweeping transformation of the industry, Kopenhaver predicts that there will always be a need for information and fair and accurate reporting to help people make important decisions in their lives.

“With so many technological innovations and new ways to tell stories, this is an exciting time to be a journalist,” she said.

Comments are closed.