Assessing a 10-Year Experiment in Community Journalism Education. (March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lowrey, Wilson; Daniels, George L.
• Is Part Of: Journalism & mass communication quarterly. Volume 94:Number 1(2017:Mar.)
• Page Start: 335
• Page End: 354
• Publication Date: 2017-03
• Subjects: community journalism -- journalism education -- participatory journalism -- citizenship; Journalism -- Periodicals; Mass media -- Periodicals; Communication -- Periodicals; Journalism -- United States -- Periodicals; Journalism -- Bibliography -- Periodicals; 070
• DOI: 10.1177/1077699016681970
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-6990

Abstract

This study assesses the degree to which graduates of a 10-year-old master's program in community journalism have been aiding the "process of community" by helping citizens negotiate community structures and processes, by listening to citizens, and by helping lead their communities. Findings from a survey of graduates and from a content analysis of graduates' news stories reveal that graduates value all three of these community journalism dimensions, particularly listening to citizens. However, there is a gap between graduates' aspirations on the one hand and the actual work produced and career paths on the other, consistent with harsh workplace realities.