What am I going to do with all of these writing skills if I can't find a friggin' job?With all this talk about stifled convergence, let's take a moment and examine the future journalistic career path:
Option A: news companies train journalists how to program innovative web features.
Option B: news companies train computer programmers how to read and write in plain English.
With a quick glance at craigslist, it's easy to see that writers aren't the preferred hire at news organizations anymore. Well, only if they know Flash, Ajax, Java, CSS, XML, MySQL and PHP.
So, where does that leave us in our education? Us journalists never had it this rough. We're hated, underpaid and overworked - but only when we can find a job opening.
I guess my college education has been a bit like the Iraq war; even after five years of fighting the system, the quagmire looms.
(A side note: although us writers have it rough, programmers totally have to work harder to stay with the game):
Where does that leave our copy-editing, story-finding, proof-checking, blog-wielding literary minds? Well, we have things that those computer jocks often don't: creativity, perspective and the innovation of old ideas.
So, here's an epiphany: use the Internet and combine other talents with clear thinking and concise writing. What would that mean for me? I think musicvideoblogging would do the trick.
Piano + guitar + trombone + a lyrical news topic + some funky video editing + the lonesome naner (for continuity).
If that dream job in journalism doesn't come along, this might be my only salvation to my journalism and music skills while I work full-time at the coffee shop. And what's more, it would utilize some spare time, good tunes, viral video and maybe - just maybe - a bit of news.
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