Before the influencer, back in the era of the peak 2000s rom-com, there was the journalist. Ask any girl majoring in Communications, and she’ll probably cite at least one rom-com as inspiration. I mean, take Andi from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, or, well, Andy from The Devil Wears Prada. Jenna’s future self in 13 Going On 30…I could go on. I have even been asked if I “feel like Carrie Bradshaw” when I’m writing my articles (I don’t, by the way. Maybe Gossip Girl.) The point is, journalism was everywhere. But why was it? And, more importantly, what fills the hole it left behind?
Even when their career isn’t the focus of their plotline, journalism sneaks up on the protagonist; take Iris, from my personal favorite rom-com, The Holiday—her journey doesn’t revolve entirely on her career, but includes overcoming heartbreak and connecting with people. She could’ve been anything else! The other protagonist of the film, Amanda, makes film trailers (which is more relevant in her plotline than Iris’ career is in hers!)
They can also just be in the industry, as long as they want to write in some capacity. Amanda Seyfried’s character, Sophie (not that one) in Letters to Juliet works for the New Yorker—not as a reporter, but as a fact checker. Set it Up’s Harper is a personal assistant to a sports journalist. Both of these women’s journeys feature their desire to be writers, though, and by the end of their films, they’ve done it.
It seems that being a journalist is an easy career to put your protagonist in. It makes her just busy enough while still being glamorous (I still picture newsrooms to look like Andi’s in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days—bustling with life), but also gives her something important: passion.
There’s nothing like the hunt for a good story to give your character motivation, and nothing will characterize them better, either. Immediately, your character has aspirations, drive and an outlook on the world that is uniquely optimistic.
In short: the journalist is cool, curious and independent, with just the right amount of chaos. Perfect for a love story.
The journalist, though, has been slowly losing ground in recent years. Ana Santos from Upgraded (2024) longs to be an art director, Picture This (2025) features struggling photographer Pia, and the upcoming You, Me, & Tuscany features Anna, a cook.
Sure, journalism isn’t a dying career by any means (nor is it completely absent from the rom-com: Poppy in People We Meet on Vacation is a travel blogger!), but it is good to see some variety.
But in our lives, what is the ‘new’ journalist? What fulfills that same itch—the glamor of the lifestyle, the chaos of the newsroom, the yearning for a new story—without being journalism?
Instinctively? I say the influencer. I mean, when I think of the journalist, I think: Curious. Creative, but credible. Taken seriously for what she writes. Having opinions. Access to brands, people, places and a sense of purpose. Someone with a voice.
What does the influencer have, if not these things? A journalist is a content creator as well, though more ‘traditional,’ as it were. The influencer still tells stories, albeit in visual form. The influencer meets with brands, with people and goes on trips to places so beautiful you can only imagine what they look like in person.
The influencer paints the same picture as the journalist: glamorous lifestyle bathed in exciting opportunity, and with something to sell: her voice.
Think of the usual marketing: a “big sister,” someone who has advice to give you (a la the “Dear Abby” columns of the 50s) and experience to back it up. Danielle Walter (before the out-of-touch “limited series,” that is) did this well. Make people feel like you have something to say that they need to hear.
The influencer, the really good one, shares her outfits, her makeup tutorials, even what she eats in a day; often with affiliate links galore. Influence comes from having something to say. The influencer is unique in that most of the credibility they have comes from likes, followers, positive comments…it’s no secret our generation is easily influenced, but it takes a really smart, strategic person to be able to do the influencing.
In a lot of ways, this is why the fantasy of the journalist persists, even if the career isn’t the focus. It’s easy to romanticize getting paid to have people hear what you have to say. It’s easy to fantasize about being heard.
It’s why the influencer presents such a unique opportunity: many young women (many at UF!) are able to become self-made, building successful branding and careers from the comfort of their homes.
For me, it means a lot to see a culture in which we are curious. The journalist was always curious. She had something to investigate, a secret to dig up about herself or about the people, places, the world around her. She makes meaning out of what she sees. She writes it down.
The influencer does the same. She goes where she pleases and makes art out of it. Picks the perfect song for her photo dumps, the emojis for her captions, the perfect parts of her life to share to make people think she’s got it made.
The best ones are positive: teaching you something about life they’ve learned through their experience. The worst makes you feel bad for not having their experience. Either way, it’s up to you to learn something from it. The kind of person you want to be, the kind you don’t want to be.
I don’t consider myself a journalist (and I certainly don’t consider myself an influencer), but I do partake in the art form, clearly. I have an appreciation for it, certainly. Women with minds, voices, things to say and platforms in which to say them.
It’s what makes organizations like HerCampus so important! Young, college-aged women sharing experiences. Speaking and being heard. If nothing else, we need that in 2026.