Print may be a dying art, but not at Solano Community college!
FAIRFIELD — Solano Community College has started offering Journalism courses for their students after a six year hiatus. With the frequent decline of newsrooms, it’s a breath of fresh air to see the “tempest” storm up a new group of aspiring writers.
Professor Isabel Anderson is teaching all of the current journalism courses at SCC’s main campus which are (JOUR 001) Introduction to Reporting and Newswriting, (JOUR 011) Introduction to Mass communication, (JOUR 060) News Production and Publication, and (JOUR 061) News Recording and Publication II.
While JOUR 001 is an introductory course to what journalism has to offer, JOUR 060 and 061 students are working on news production and publication for the school. The courses offer students the opportunity to learn the key elements of what makes a story newsworthy, writing techniques for news stories, and
effective reporting skills.
The return of journalism has offered a chance for students to explore a new career path for themselves at Solano.
Journalism is necessary to find the truth and give the truth to its audience. Without it, we lose ethical reporting and accurate information that brings justice to news happening in our communities.
Technological advancements, such as the rise of Tiktok, has led to a decrease in attention span that is harming the way we comprehend news. Shorter attention spans make it more difficult to take in news articles and causes many people to accept forms of journalism from social media with character limits and little to no fact checking. With the rise of digital media, the decline of local news and proper journalism has strung along with it. People need trusted sources that they can rely on for current news and critical information. With a less informed public, how can people expect to be civically healthy?
Student journalism is one of the most important things that this generation has to protect this “dying field”. With a change in media, new and upcoming students are able to adapt to become the bridge between online and offline. They are able to be a voice for our youths by being able to freely express themselves and their ideas. When the world is growing, we need journalists who are growing with us.
How can we ensure that true journalism doesn’t lose itself to our changing society?
Solano’s recruitment of news writers is the first step to staying true to what journalism is all about.
The Tempest, Solano Community College’s newspaper from 1988 to 2015, is prepared to start again with a new title and fresh writers. The new generation of journalists are learning proper ethics and rules that will help keep the public stay informed on the world around them.
With journalism making its comeback at Solano, we can expect to see a thriving newspaper with future journalists prepared to keep it alive.