What Digital and Fundamental Skills Does Today’s Journalists Need?

In the article “The Mashable Article 8 Must-Have Traits of Tomorrow’s Journalist”, it describes what journalists need for the future. The most important traits for journalists is they have to be multi-skilled in just about everything.  I believe the most important trait you can have is the core skills of journalism because just like the author explains, they can never be replaced.

Journalists today don’t  just have to know how to write a good article, but they are going to have to know business skills, multimedia skills, social media, editing, and also the core skills of journalism. Journalists need to be able to find, report, edit, and post the story. They also need to know how to put their story online. However, the author from Mashable doesn’t mention how much time this takes, so another trait journalists need is time management.

Journalists have more competition than ever for the latest and greatest story. A new trend that has recently come to challenge journalism at its core is citizen journalism. An article discussing the topic of citizen journalism is “Citizen Journalism: Will Entrepreneurs Rule Yet Again?” By Steve Outing.

Journalists also need to know how to use social media to promote their stories as well as talking to their followers. Blogging and social media let’s journalists engage with their followers and get to know the person behind the stories. Traditional media outlets are interacting with Twitter. An example is the New York Times.

It is important to be business savvy as well, in the EmediaVitals article the hyperlocal blogs founders were entrepreneurial savvy and created something new. The author gives advice on how hyperlocal blogs and newspaper can work together, which is perhaps the most important piece of advice. Journalists should be willing to work together, it doesn’t always have to be a one- man show.

Your Future in Convergent Journalism

The journalism field today wants the person who not only knows how to use the new technology for journalism, but also wants someone who knows how to tell a story with real facts.

“Employers still want the basics: people who can report the facts accurately and quickly and who can tell a clear story”, according to the authors of Principles of Convergent Journalism.

Not only does new media allow journalists to use other resources besides a pen and paper but it creates new jobs for journalists. Journalists can paid to write a blog. Pay per post blog and get paid.

The public has many options of where to get their news, so journalists need to keep their audience’s attention.

“Therefore, a key to keeping and building your audience reflects the age-old formula: Give them what they want, when they want it”, according to the authors of Principles of Convergent Journalism.

Journalists should prepare themselves before they go to an interview because of the competition. Being a multi-skilled journalist will give you a shove past some of the competition.

Your skills and qualities are not the only thing the employer will look at. It is important to look presentable as well. In this job climate we are in it is important to cover all aspects of a good interview.

A part of getting a job offer is to keep yourself up to date.

“Your work doesn’t end once you get the job offer- as the field evolves, you must keep up with the latest techniques, trends, and technologies in journalism”, according to the authors Principles of Convergent Journalism.

Being in various well respected journalist organizations will also help you connect with other journalists and learn new techniques.

The most important thing is to do what makes you happy, good luck!