Publication Date

1975

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Brod, Donald

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

Department of Journalism

LCSH

Journalism--Study and teaching; Newspapers--Illinois

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the employment processes said expectations of daily newspapers with email and intermediate circulations in the state of Illinois. The study attempted to indicate a model of the type of journalism graduate an editor would like to hire. The methodology included the construction of a questionnaire, the mailing of the questionnaire, the compiling of essay-type answers, the rating and scoring of Likert scale responses and the reporting of information in tables and narrative form. The survey was limited to daily newspapers in Illinois with small and intermediate circulations. Small circulation newspapers were those with circulations less than 30,000. Intermediate newspapers had distributions more than 30,000. Metropolitan newspapers were omitted from this study because of the plethora of information already available on their hiring processes. The responses of small and intermediate newspapers were compared to show trends according to the category of newspaper. The findings support literature indicating that job openings are infrequent at this time. However, of those hired the number of recent journalism graduates was slightly higher than that of persons with prior professional experience. Many of the recent graduates hired by intermediate circulation newspapers had short-term experience as a newspaper intern. Both categories of newspapers looked for the same attributes in applicants. The model applicant would have a commitment to newspapering and be hard-working. He would be able to work easily with other staff members and sources. The applicant would have some type of experience--as a college newspaper reporter, as a writer for the college yearbook, as a stringer, as a freelance writer, as a writer for the community newspaper, as a writer for the neighborhood shopper or as an intern. He would have clipping that demonstrated his ability to write different types of stories. The applicant would have a broad educational background, possibly with an emphasis in a discipline unrelated to journalism. The applicant would also need to have good language skills, knowledge of the community and a good appearance. This study also indicates a discrepancy. Newspapers indicated they were hiring the best journalism graduates they could find. However, in rating the graduates on the Likert scale, the editors gave them low ratings. This indicates that the newspapers are not satisfied with the quality of journalism education. If the best graduates are receiving low ratings, it would seem that there is little consistency between the expectations of editors and educators. Intermediate newspaper respondents were dissatisfied with reporting skills of journalism graduates. Small newspapers were dissatisfied with the lack of versatility of graduates. Small newspapers indicated reporting skills were above average, but all other skills were below average. ...

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.||Much text very faint.

Extent

v, 76 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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