News release: It's still worth joining the dots

Abstract

An increasing number of people now turn to the internet for their news, logging in on a daily basis. Although the recent crash in new media companies (the dot.coms) may have shaken our faith in the industry, there is still scope for employment within the medium and this is confirmed by the continued popularity of online journalism courses.

Lecturer Mike Ward, from the University of Central Lancashire, has affirmed his faith with the production of his new book Journalism Online, one of the few texts available which look at the whole teaching process. Mike, a former BBC journalist, was Course Leader for the University's own Masters degree in Online Journalism, a course which has retained its popularity and has a good record of employment for its graduates.

Mike has also launched a web site, www.journalismonline.co.uk, to accompany the book and it is intended that both site and book will be key reference tools for student journalists at the University of Central Lancashire and beyond. He is optimistic about the future of online journalism and believes that specifically tailored courses can provide students with a whole range of journalistic skills, plus those needed to communicate online.

"A period of excessive optimism towards the dot.coms was followed by one of excessive gloom", says Mike, whose book has also generated interest in the USA and Australia. "The issue now is not whether the new medium continues, but in what form it continues and how we can harness it to the best effect".
27 March 2002
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Note: For further information, please contact Mike Ward, Department of Journalism on tel: 01772 894759