Closing the Divide Between Journalism Professionals and Educators

By: Katherine Krueger | PBS

There is an essential tension that occupies the space between professional journalists and journalism educators. Professionals who are siloed in either sphere can stigmatize or devalue the work happening in the other.

This animosity is intensified by the constant push to assign blame for J-Schools falling behind on training the next generation of journalists. As the narrative about slow-moving, ivory-towered PhDs educating students for jobs that no longer exist persists, it’s also become en vogue for successful professionals to distance themselves from formal education, even wearing their lack of journalism degree as a badge of honor.