Great comment from The New York Times’ Amy O’Leary on Bill Grueskin’s piece yesterday. Bill argued that too many j-school grads end up as Swiss Army knife journalists, adequate at a lot of digital skills, great at none. Amy agrees and provides a useful framing:
For the last five years, when asked what digital skills journalists should learn, I frequently suggest the model of having a “major” and a “minor” — one thing you are world-class at, unbeatable — maybe that’s reporting, writing, research, storytelling or digital aggregation. And then one should show proficiency in a second discipline, so you can take a competent photograph, or shoot a usable video interview clip along with the piece. Lastly, everyone should dabble and let themselves be “bad” at some disciplines, so they have an understanding for, and appreciation of those other experts.
