Olivet College of Journalism students are learning that the challenges facing journalists entering the news industry today are daunting but nothing a little innovation and flexibility can't solve.
In a special lecture last week, students in the Media Management class examined how some traditional news media have thoughtfully responded to the convergence of journalism platforms in order to secure their survival in the digital age.
"Most of the newspapers and TV stations have built their websites and are trying to adapt to the convergence of journalism - the merging and mixing of different media platforms," said Dr. William Willis, dean of OCJ.
One example that Dr. Willis pointed to was The Oklahoman, where he formerly worked for years as a reporter and editor.
The publication embraced convergence by rolling out a fully integrated web edition, Newsok.com, which features text and video-based stories, photo galleries, blogs, and comment sections.
The development has allowed The Oklahoman to retain more readers and revenue than it would if it had remained a strictly print medium.
Dr. Willis also gave examples on how other traditional news forms like television and magazines have grappled with convergence.
"Convergent journalism has a great potential to solve serious challenges of traditional news media, " said OCJ student Ruth Wong. "The new platforms can help newspapers and magazines reach out to the younger generation."