A reader posted a question in the comments section the other day and I don’t want it to get missed.
While she knows her area of interest, she’s unsure how to pursue her chosen field. She writes:
I am going back to school in September for journalism at Conestoga College. I am having difficulty deciding between print and broadcast because my area is fashion. Just thought I would see what other people think who are working in journalism.
Any sage advice from the veterans? Just post your thoughts in the comments section.
And to the anonymous fashion fanatic — let us know what you decide.
Photo © Adam Baker, published under a Creative Commons License.
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
Click here for copyright permissions!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I think a lot depends on your personality. I went into print and in retrospect, should have gone into broadcasting. I'm an extrovert and need to interact with people more. As it is, I spend too much time at my desk and not enough time in face-to-face situations.
However, some writers like the research end and enjoy their alone time. Constant interaction would drain them.
Which are you? If you're not sure, take the Myers & Briggs personality test and see what careers match your type. Wish I'd done that before I went to teacher's college!
[Reply]
There’s no reason why you can’t do both. Broadcast journalists need to be good writers (and editors!) too. Maybe starting in print journalism, to hone those skills, would give you a strong foundation for moving into broadcasting along the way. Look at Jeanne Bekker – she’s comfortable in print and in front of the camera. No matter which route you decide to focus on first, I think you’ll find that there are lots of opportunities for both forms of journalism, and overlap between them, too. Good luck!
[Reply]
Doing both is a good idea, as journalism is changing. You may be required to handle a camera and write for print, depending on where you work. Writing for broadcast is more casual, conversational, so learning to write for print first seems wise. What have you always imagined yourself doing? Whatever you do, it will be right. One of my J-school teachers was a newspaper man for many years, then was plucked by Newsworld to manage their newsroom. There’s lots of crossover in the business.
[Reply]