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Digital Media

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The path to becoming a digital media journalist

The Path to Becoming a Digital Media Journalist

From High School to Your First Job

Build a Solid Academic Foundation

Basics:

Take as many writing courses as possible. Take journalism, creative writing, short story, nonfiction, poetry, technical or scientific writing classes. Take classes in photography, video production, public speaking, website design, coding, and at least one foreign language. Join your school newspaper.

Recommended:

If you are interested in pursuing stories about the ocean, then take classes (whether in school or online) that will help you better understand the milieu in which you will be working. You will find that marine biology and marine conservation courses are very beneficial. Take a public speaking course.

Keep in Mind:

Online courses can teach you the basics of journalism. If your town has a newspaper or radio station, see if you can write local interest stories. Chances are that they also have a digital presence, and if they do not, offer to help them start one. Try and find a remote internship with some digital platform.

Dive In!

And become an expert

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Peruse our library of must-read books

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Take an online course

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Get a

jump on your Academic career

There’s no substitute for experience.

We have compiled a database of thousands of internships, research opportunities, academic programs and specialized training programs so you can get a jump on your academic career.

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Internships

Research

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Academic Training Programs

And if you need support to fulfill your dreams and ambitions, our searchable database has plenty of scholarship opportunities as well as programs designed to increase diversity.

Scholarships

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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

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Need Help Finding Your Opportunity?

Our video tutorials explain the ins and outs of landing a great internship, research project or training program.

 

Make all the right moves

Advice from those who know

Develop foundational skills in photography, video, and audio

Build a social media following

Find a reporter or editor who will mentor you

Write an article for an established digital media platform

Take advantage of workshops and courses in digital media and journalism

Enter journalist competitions

Develop a portfolio of your work

Join professional societies and organizations

Stay current by reading industry and professional journals

What degree is right for you?

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Undergraduate

Most employers require a bachelor’s degree, preferably in digital media, communications, journalism, writing, or a related field. Take courses in news writing and editing, communications, media law and ethics, visual journalism, and the art of journalistic interviewing and reporting. If your school does not have a digital media program, try and take a course in the fundamentals of multimedia news reporting and production techniques.

Graduate

A master’s degree is highly recommended as this is where you will be able to specialize your studies in a particular area of digital media. At the graduate level, you will be able to go more in-depth on journalistic techniques, ethics, law, news reporting, and storytelling. A master’s degree will also open up more and better quality employment opportunities. A doctoral degree is necessary if you want to pursue a career in academia.

10 Schools With Excellent Digital Media Programs

Want to see the full list of colleges and universities with degree offerings or relevant courses?

See the full list

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Digital Media and Journalism
University of Hartford

Journalism and Digital Communication
University of South Florida

Digital Journalism
Marymount Manhattan College

Journalism and Media
University of Texas at Austin

Journalism and Mass Communication
Arizona State University

Digital Journalism
Fairfield University

Digital Journalism
Central Washington University

Digital Journalism
Pace University

Tip 1

Gain experience by volunteering for the college newspaper, magazine, or radio station. Local newspapers, radio stations, and television stations. All these news outlets now try and maintain a digital media presence. 

Tip 2

Internships are not enough. You need a portfolio of stories, clips from a school publication, online experience, a solid social media presence, and one or two people who can vouch for your professionalism and skill set. 

Tip 3

Incremental steps can help you break into digital media journalism even without digital experience. You need to show that you can write, so if you cannot find any digital media platform to hire you, go ahead and start your own blog or website.

Have familiarity with one or more of the following areas

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Investigative techniques

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Augmented reality

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Research

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Digital platforms

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Data analysis and visualizations

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Journalistic ethics

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Interviewing

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Video journalism

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Social media

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Video and photo editing

Typical Job Functions of a Digital Media Journalist

Here are some of the interesting things you could be doing.

Collecting and analyzing data from a variety of sources.

Interviewing persons of interest.

Building relationships with people who may offer sources of information.

Collaborating with fellow writers and editors to ensure cohesive content.

Writing clear, concise, and factual articles and posts.

Keeping up-to-date on the latest news developments.

Researching and submitting story ideas.

Writing and editing news copy for publication under tight deadlines.

Overseeing and monitoring the creation of digital content.

Generating, editing, publishing, and sharing digital content.

There’s an Ocean of Possibilities

If you want to pursue a career that is challenging, competitive, and rewarding, digital media can certainly provide you with that. Whether you want to work for an established digital platform or start your own thing, the options are as vast as the Internet itself.

Common employers include:

  • Newspapers
  • Magazines
  • Special Interest Publications
  • Television Stations
  • Radio Stations
  • New Organizations
  • Digital Media Companies
  • Social Media Companies
  • Public Broadcasting Systems
  • Online Journals
  • Financial Companies
  • Technology Companies
  • Nonprofit Organizations
  • Non-governmental Organizations
  • Universities

Start your career search with our extensive list of employment websites.