Broadcasting has evolved over the last three decades from traditional mass media platforms such as traditional television and radio channels to Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) avenues. The era of passively consuming content during scheduled time frames is increasingly being overshadowed by interactive components and on-demand audio and visual packages. Consumers now have the flexibility and options to choose various genres of shows they wish to view or listen to in real time or based on their convenience using streaming services.
The current landscape of multimedia platforms reflected in the broadcast industry warrants rethinking the way journalism is taught in educational institutions to align with industry trends such as blogging, podcasting and webcasting. While the foundations of traditional skills in print, radio, and television cannot be undermined, journalism schools are increasingly mindful of incorporating courses that call for multimedia skills involving various technologies and platforms. Adaptability and versatility are imperative in teaching broadcasting skills across various digital platforms using both professional equipment and mobile phones to create media packages. Anymore, merely learning skills such as writing in a specific style or format, approaches to capturing still images or video clips, or recording audio for a radio broadcast is not enough.
With the technological shift from linear, analog storytelling techniques to digital broadcasting, such as eRadio on the internet, journalism programs have their work cut out for them. For instance, teaching scriptwriting for audio and video platforms, capturing and editing sound and visuals, and then editing and disseminating the same to local, national or worldwide audiences via the internet requires updated equipment, facilities, and ongoing professional development for journalism faculty to keep up with the changing media landscape. This demands an educational approach that is collaborative where students engage with media professionals for experiential learning, applying the skills and theoretical knowledge that they have gained in classrooms. For example, in Wisconsin, Wisconsin Broadcasters Association and other state and local media outlets offer students opportunities to participate in media industry-related workshops, webinars and job-shadowing opportunities to gain first-hand experience as future professional leaders in broadcasting. The valuable partnerships between educational institutions and media outlets are mutually beneficial to students, faculty, and media professionals.
The leap from old media to Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) is both exciting and challenging in the context of journalism education. I use the term “exciting” because it provides students the opportunity to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) like ChatGPT, Gemini and Grammarly as online tutors, writing and seeking information at a fast pace. The challenge lies in emphasizing the importance of teaching students to use it as an assistive, reference tool, all the while keeping legal and ethical considerations in mind and avoid misuse that could lead to credibility issues. With the journalism profession going through innovative phases involving AI, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), it is crucial for journalism programs to adequately prepare them for their professional careers.
Ganga Vadhavkar
Professor, Department of Communication and Journalism
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
