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Steven Stein, a College junior and a journalism- political science co-major from Los Angeles, spoke recently at the 16th Annual Georgia Bar Media & Judiciary Conference January 27, 2007 in Atlanta. Steven was the student speaker on the panel, "Citizen Journalism: New Media, New Voices."He is an editor of The Emory Wheel and the co-editor in chief of the Emory Political Review. He will be interning at the Austin American-Statesman this summer. He can be reached at sastein@learnlink.emory.edu.

The hardest part about being a journalism student isn’t dealing with uncooperative sources or meeting constant deadlines. It’s coming home for winter and summer break.

At cocktail parties, my parents’ friends always ask me what I’m studying. Invariably, my eyes shoot down, and I mumble, “Journalism.” These adults, who are generally doctors or lawyers, develop this sad look on their face, and always ask me the same question: “Why?”

To them, journalism is a dying industry marred by scandal. Like most Americans, they don’t trust journalists, believing that the antics of Jayson Blair or Janet Cooke are representative of an entire profession. And even if they do trust journalists, they think the journalism industry is dying. They point to stagnant profit margins and newsroom layoffs as evidence. And they are completely wrong.

Journalism is a growing, vibrant industry. It’s just not growing in the areas we’ve come to expect.

The future of print journalism is uncertain. Printing costs are higher than ever before and advertisers are shifting money to non-traditional forms of media, like the Internet. But I think this uncertainty provides opportunity — and even optimism — for today’s journalism students.

If you’re like me, there’s nothing better than waking up in the morning and reading a newspaper. I have two, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The New York Times, delivered every day. But I also read a number of newspapers and blogs online. Yes, some blogs and websites are little more than a screaming head with a laptop. But many provide insightful commentary and analysis.

With all its pratfalls, the Internet provides incalculable room for the newspaper industry to grow. Now, when I read a story on NYTimes.com, I can watch an accompanying video and photo gallery, and click on links to sources for the article. My experience — and the content — is dramatically enhanced. And it takes a growing number of journalists to provide this content.

While newsrooms shrink, newspaper’s online divisions grow. And it’s the journalists who have been in the industry for decades who are going to suffer. Journalists coming out of college are more prepared than ever for this uncertain future. And nowhere is this truer than at Emory.
Emory’s Journalism Program teaches students both traditional and non-traditional forms of journalism. Last year, I wrote and recorded a Podcast, made numerous entries in a blog about the midterm elections and even created a website. But I also wrote a number of news stories along with two investigative features.

Whether I’m blogging, recording Podcasts or writing newspaper articles after I graduate, thanks to Emory’s Journalism Program, I feel confident about my future.

So if you’re a lawyer or doctor reading this, and you see me at a cocktail party, don’t get too sad of a look on your face. For journalism students, the future has never been brighter.