Accept Journalistic Work as ‘Output’ to Keep the Professional ‘Street Cred’ in Teaching Journalism

Abstract

The process for producing high quality journalism mimics every component necessary to scholarly research—data gathering, theory testing, reviewing previous literature, writing formulas, jurying by colleagues. The very best in journalism most certainly builds knowledge. The intellectual and physical effort to produce substantial journalism varies little from that necessary for scholarly output. This commentary explains why accepting journalistic work as ‘output’ is vital to keeping a faculty with the professional ‘street cred’ for today’s journalism students. Failing to do so is a disservice to our students and it risks producing students without practiced, professional skills.