Four years ago, after getting accepted to Marquette, I already decided I wanted to major in journalism. My parents were always hesitant with my interest in the field, asking me, “isn’t journalism dying?”
I’m sure all journalism students heard some variation of this question. Even today I am still asked this question from family, friends, even my friends’ parents.
To answer their question, no, journalism is not dying. But print journalism is. I’ve read the stories about dwindling print publications throughout the country, heard the warnings from professors and I knew it was inevitable. But, it was always a thought in the back of my mind, something I thought I did not have to deal with for at least a few more years.
Now, it is a reality. Due to budget cuts, the student media board decided to cut the Marquette Journal’s printing budget. The Marquette Tribune will remain a bi-weekly printed publication, with a handful of issues also being cut.
The Marquette Journal started printing in 1904, making this year the 110th anniversary. 2014 also marks the year that the publication becomes an online-only magazine.
Although this situation can seem unfortunate, we have no choice but to embrace this change, and take advantage of what the change brings, just like countless newspapers and magazine around the country have.
This is what journalism is all about, embracing the unexpected. Last year the Marquette Tribune pulled quite a few all-nighters to cover stories that abruptly broke. Twitter has become an unanticipated medium of delivering news, and we learned right along side our teachers how to use it to our benefit.
As journalists, we will always be students, we will always be learning, evolving and changing. There will always be something new to learn. Every year there are new technologies, new techniques, new mediums and new ways to tell a story.
Who knows where journalism will be 10 years from now, let alone 110 years from now. Who knows where I will be 10 years from now. Maybe I’ll be back in school studying something completely unrelated, but I don’t think I’ll ever regret choosing to major in journalism, nor will I regret choosing to lead the Journal in a time of change and transition.