The Forgotten Globalization of Journalism Education

Abstract

What should guide an up to date, challenging and student-centered journalism education? asks Mark Deuze.1 His answer stresses several points. First, he recommends rethinking the paradigm that rules journalism education today. In his view, the classical notions of what a journalist is are changing, and education has not been reflecting this change adequately. Second, the perennial debate between practice and theory in journalism education should be left by the wayside. Instead, education should focus on critical self-reflection. Finally, education must consider understanding of the changes in society (i.e. toward multiculturalism), in the economy (i.e. toward infotainment) and in technology (i.e. the Internet).' However, his argument neglects the most important challenges to journalism education: the twin processes of globalization and identification building. education needs to break out of the national mold in which it has been traditionally cast. A European example of building transnational journalism education is presented and analyzed. The lessons learned from this experience are used to supplement the list of recommendation for a New Journalism education. The global system is at the same time together and falling apart. On one hand, processes of economic, social and cultural globalization are bringing states into ever-closer contact with one other. Globalization - understood as the gradual erosion of borders physical, social, and cultural - has become the single most prominent feature of today's political and economic landscape.4 At the same time, questions of identity are surfacing and splitting up some national communities and rebuilding others. Within Great Britain, Wales and Scotland are rebuilding new identities within the UK.5 In Europe, states are lining up to become members of the European Union, while at the same time, wealthy countries like Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and Ireland in different ways show signs of questioning the idea of Europe together.' In cities like Seattle, Gothenburg and Genoa, protesters by the hundreds of thousands are taking to the streets to protest against a variety of international meetings. The World Bank, G8 and EU summit meetings are confronted by angry protesters. Collectively these protesters present no clear agenda, but the mobilization expresses a common and widespread frustration over globalization and global attempts at governance.' In the world of the media we see rapid growth in the concentration of ownership. Media is integrated nationally and globally under the control of a few giant companies. is just one small element of their business. Entertainment is a far bigger investment. Alongside concentration, we see technology creating opportunities resulting in a proliferation of media outlets - not just on the Web, but also in radio, TV and even among newspapers. Especially at the local and regional levels, there are a multitude of new types of media with specific focus and with an agenda of satisfying very selected audiences' need for information and journalism.' The media world is coming together and falling apart at the same time. The consequences for journalism are important, but poorly researched and understood.' has always been closely connected to the national arena and the national language. Even in times of globalization and cross-border ownership, the media retains and perhaps even strengthens its national or local focus and outlook. Media surveys from different countries show that foreign news is rapidly declining.10 Most clearly, this is evident in the United States where some results indicate that is has all but vanished on national television and has dwindled to a trickle in the rest of the media. But also in Europe we see clear changes in foreign reporting - away from the political and more and more focused on lifestyle, personalities and others types of infotainment content. …