Do Online Courses Actually Work?
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been hailed as a way of making a college education affordable to poor, less-prepared students around the world. But do they work? A tech guru who has championed...
View ArticleThe First Amendment Guarantees Press Freedom in the U.S.
How rare is American-style press freedom? Compared to many countries - and not just horrendous dictatorships like North Korea - it's rare indeed. Read more... Compared to Britain, Press Freedom Remains...
View ArticleWhich Journalism Students Succeed, and Which Don't?
As a college journalism professor for some 15 years I've observed, broadly speaking, two kinds of journalism students - those who succeed in j-school and then translate that success into careers in the...
View ArticleGetting High School Students Fired Up About Journalism
What are the special challenges facing high school teachers pressed into service as journalism teachers and student newspaper advisers? A lack of interest in the news, for one thing. So how can...
View ArticleBlogs are Fine, but You Need to Get Published for Real
Writing for a personal blog is fine, but is it enough to land you an internship or entry-level job in journalism? Probably not. Here's why. Read more... Six Reasons Why It's So Important to Get...
View ArticleThe Most Important Trends in Journalism in 2013
So what were the most significant developments in the news business in 2013? The rise of activist journalism, increased White House secrecy and threats to press freedom worldwide, among others. Read...
View ArticleMore Big Developments in Journalism for 2013
On the business side of journalism there were plenty of important trends and developments in 2013: The twin failures of Patch.com and the so-called "all-digital" strategy for news outlets, and...
View ArticleThe Free Press Under Fire Worldwide
The survival of a free press may be a matter of economics in the U.S., but in many countries around the world press freedom was imperiled by dictatorial governments in 2013. The result? Near-record...
View ArticleWhy Work in Journalism? Why Not?
It's easy for aspiring reporters to get discouraged about careers in the news business. After all, print journalism has been through some lean times in the last few years. But believe it or not, things...
View ArticleNewspaper Stock Prices are Soaring
Here's a counter-intuitive story if there ever was one. Newspaper company stock prices were up - way up - in 2013. Why? Because papers are profitable. Read more... More Proof That Print Journalism is...
View ArticleFinding a Compelling Story in the Obit of the Average Person
It's true that the famous and influential among us will get more ink and airtime when they die. But a good obit writer can find a great story in every person's life....Read Full Post ...
View ArticleHow Can Newsrooms Do a Better Job of Covering Science?
In our increasingly high-tech world, it's vital that the public have an understanding of science, says bioethicist Arthur Caplan. Problem is, many science reporters have been laid off in recent...
View ArticleReport Singles Out Syria as Killing Ground for Journalists
Given the horrific civil war grinding on there, it should be no surprise that in 2013 the deadliest country on the planet for journalists was Syria. The Committee to Protect Journalists found that at...
View ArticleWhat's Wrong With Journalism Education in Our High Schools?
What are the two biggest problems with journalism education at the nation's high schools? Teachers who have little or no experience, and school administrators who decide the student newspaper is...
View ArticleFeature Stories are More Important Than Ever
Back in the day, most newspaper reporters wrote either hard-news or feature stories. These days, journalists need to be able to do both, because feature stories are more ubiquitous - and more important...
View ArticleChina Gets Tough With Reporters From Western Countries
It's no secret that China maintains an iron grip on domestic news media outlets. But now the Communist regime appears to be taking a tougher approach with Western reporters. Read more... More and More,...
View ArticleAre Digital News Startups Journalism's Future?
A wave of smart, accomplished reporters have lately been leaving their newspaper jobs and heading for digital startups. But how long will such online-only news sites last? Read more... Digital News...
View ArticleReporters in Sochi Find Hotels are Less Than Hospitable
No Heat. No Shower Curtains. Rancid water. Stray dogs. Those are just some of the things reporters arriving in Sochi, Russia, to cover the winter Olympics have found in their less-than accommodating...
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