The silent crisis in journalism education

There was a time when, if a college offered a journalism course, the entire campus would buzz with the energy of those students. The sight of students roaming around all day with a camera in hand or searching for a story to write. 

Once upon a time, Mangalore University’s Journalism Department was filled with the lively spirit of such students. Today, that department stands shuttered. The Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media (IIJNM) College, which was once the most sought-after college where even average students couldn’t get a seat, now struggles to fill its seats. So, where did all those journalism aspirants go?

When it became known that universities such as Mangalore University and Bangalore North University, and private institutions such as the IIJNM, had closed their journalism departments due to a lack of student applications, people thought it was a tragedy. But in reality, it wasn’t a tragedy; it was simply that these institutions failed to adapt to the changing trends in journalism.

Before the pandemic, print and electronic media dominated the field. But after COVID-19 struck, they began to lose ground in expanding their reach. Meanwhile, digital media a newer, more dynamic form sprang to life and succeeded in reaching audiences worldwide. During this transformation, some reputed journalism colleges and universities in the country were still teaching outdated lessons, such as how to write a `letter to the editor’. During this same period, tech-savvy journalism students realised there was no real future for them if they stuck to conventional journalism methods.

However, that wasn’t the full truth either. Media platforms that offered practical exposure opened new opportunities for journalism students. In these spaces, classes were not taught by people who had once been journalists and later moved into teaching, as was the case in traditional institutions. Instead, practising journalists themselves started teaching students.

Institutions such as the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), through collaborations with The Hindu and Reuters, began offering students the chance to work on real newsroom stories. Similarly, the India Today Media Institute (ITMI) and Bennett University’s Times School of Media integrated hands-on training with their media group’s TV and digital platforms, allowing students to produce stories that reached national audiences. Even newer digital platforms like The News Minute and Youth Ki Awaaz opened their virtual newsrooms to students, offering them exposure to real-time reporting and multimedia storytelling.

There, the curriculum went beyond just print and electronic media; experienced professionals from radio, public relations, social media, and digital marketing also shared their knowledge. This approach helped students open their eyes to the new world of journalism.

The rapid evolution of journalism careers in recent years underscores just how much the media landscape has changed and why traditional institutions that failed to keep pace have lost their appeal among younger aspirants.

Journalism schools should comprehensively review and update their curricula to align with current industry standards and technological advancements, including integrating digital media, multimedia storytelling, and data journalism as core components to prepare students for the modern media landscape, rather than focusing primarily on traditional journalism.

Institutions must also establish structured partnerships with media organisations through guest lectures, collaborative projects, and internships, invest in continuous professional development for faculty to keep pace with industry trends, strengthen graduate employability by enhancing career services and placement opportunities, and reevaluate financial models to make education more affordable through revised fees and increased scholarships. 

By adopting these measures, journalism schools can effectively address current challenges and play a crucial role in shaping a dynamic, relevant, and future-ready media industry, supported by collaboration among academia, industry, and government.

(The writer is a former journalist)