Be it Resolved, journalism schools are bad for journalism

The Munk Debates Podcast

We have never been more polarized. Echo chambers promote information that confirms people’s preconceived notions, regardless of whether the facts presented are true. Which is why journalists are so important to a functioning democracy: we need them to cut through rampant misinformation and deliver fact-based reporting.

But do you need journalism schools to do that? Some writers consider j-schools a waste of time: they argue that four years of expensive education would be better used learning on the job, or gaining expertise in a particular subject that you could then report on with some authority.

Others argue the opposite: They say shrinking revenue makes resource-starved media outlets poorly equipped to mentor young journalists the way they used to. If you want a new generation of reporters whose work is rigorous, professional, and trusted by the public, journalism schools are essential.

Arguing in favour of the resolution is Kevin D. Williamson, national correspondent at The Dispatch.

Arguing against the resolution is Christina Bellantoni, Professor of Professional Practice of Journalism at the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism.

The host of the Munk Debates is Rudyard Griffiths

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Editor: Kieran Lynch