As social media continues to change the face of journalism, universities are trying to adapt to new standards and practices to keep up with the times. Whether it’s the Associated Press’s addition of “selfie,” “Snapchat,” and “Vine” to the AP Stylebook or Snapchat’s own live stories covering political debates and sports games, the way the world gets its news is changing.
Not only is journalism changing, the line between journalism and public relations is blurring due to social media’s increased role in both professions.
Before the University of Maryland’s journalism school became the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, it was the Department of Journalism and Public Relations in 1949, according to the college’s website.
Seven years later, the Department of Journalism was built. Now, public relations is a track UMD students can follow in the Communication major.
Today, the Philip Merrill College of Journalism’s undergraduate mission is “an uncompromising dedication to the principles of the journalism profession, with training in evolving types of news gathering and delivery,” as stated on their website.
The question is: Does the Philip Merrill College of Journalism meet the expectations of students who enter the journalism major?
The college prides itself as being “one of the world’s leading journalism schools.”
Located in Knight Hall, the limited enrollment program is home to about 550 undergraduate students and 100 grad students.
Students are interested in everything from entertainment news and magazine writing to political coverage and sports coverage. However, some students argue the school isn’t as accommodating to the variety of interests.
“The journalism school floods us with opportunity,” said Destini Baldwin, a senior broadcast journalism major. “[But] I feel like I’m restricted to do a certain type of news … I’m interested in feature stories and entertainment … but most of what I learn to cover is hard news like politics and people dying.”
Baldwin is a transfer student who will graduate in December. Before doing so, she has to find an internship that meets the journalism school’s criteria, a requirement for all journalism students.
Other students expressed concerns with the college as well.
“I believe my experience so far in the Merrill College has really helped me become a better journalist,” Allison Thompson, a junior broadcast journalism major said. “[However] a lot of the college’s resources are directed toward students interested in hard news or sports journalism. Students interested in entertainment journalism, investigative journalism or science journalism don’t receive the same amount of support.”
Though the college may feel restricting to some students, sports journalists are reaping the benefits of the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism.
“I love the sports journalism program,” said Sammi Silber, a freshman multiplatform journalsim major and aspiring sports journalist. “The Povich center is led by renowned sports journalists who share their knowledge and share events with students … it is exciting to know that the university cares so deeply about sports.”
The center, which was established in 2011, serves students, journalists and the community “through its panels, workshops and support of the college’s academic offerings as well as research and analysis,” according to the Povich Center’s website.
“Coming to the Merrill College of Journalism was the greatest decision of my life,” Silber said. “Merrill puts their students first and is passionate about all types of journalism.”