Frequently-Asked Questions: The Media Convergence Sequence

• What type of work do people do in media convergence?
• What kind of background is important?
• What type of hands-on experience might I get while I'm in school?
• How do you benefit from learning from faculty who have had practical experience in the field?
• What other qualities and skills are valuable?
• Where do Missouri Journalism students get internships?
• What kind of jobs are graduates getting with a media convergence emphasis?
• What are the salaries and working environment like in this field?
• What is one tip you would give incoming students about this sequence?
• How can I apply to MU and find other undergraduate journalism information?

What type of work do people do in media convergence?

"People do a variety of jobs, but mostly they're valued for their ability to work across traditional media lines. As a convergence reporter you can work for traditional media companies, but you typically have a broader understanding of the different strengths and weaknesses of different news delivery platforms." Mike McKean Media Convergence Faculty

"Convergence reporters are trained to report in multiple media. If necessary, a convergence reporter might file a brief for the Web, edit video for television and then write a story for the next day's paper. Convergence reporters often specialize in a single medium, but their familiarity with other forms of storytelling gives them an edge in today's ever-changing media landscape." Curt Wohleber Media Convergence Faculty

"Missouri Journalism alumni are working all over the world and are represented in every level from top management to entry-level. You might want to check out the Profiles in Success on this Web site. Alumni share information about their jobs, what they've learned and other highlights in these features." Brian Brooks Undergraduate Studies Dean

What kind of background is important?

"You need to be a team player and have the willingness to accept risk and change, to try new things and not be afraid to fail." Mike McKean Media Convergence Faculty

"As a media convergence student myself, I think there are many personalities that blend well together. I think it is important to be easy-going and open-minded to work with many types of people at one time. Also, I think it is important to be determined and professional to successfully complete stories with the material provided on a deadline." Kelly Peery Media Convergence Student Troy, Mo.

What type of hands-on experience might I get while I'm in school?

"As a convergence major you get plenty of hands-on experience through all the media outlets available here at Mizzou. We get to work at a newspaper, the Columbia Missourian; at an NBC-affiliated TV station, KOMU; and an NPR radio station, KBIA. On top of all those things, there are also student media outlets available to us." Dominique Renoit Media Convergence Student Miami, Fla.

"In this school there is a huge amount of hands-on experience to prepare a student ready for any type of journalism career in the 'real world.' There are several opportunities for students to work in professional atmospheres at KOMU, KBIA, as well as the Columbia Missourian. Students leave well-equipped with advanced skills that they are likely to use in their futures." Kelly Peery Media Convergence Student Troy, Mo.

"Our students have the best of both worlds: a liberal arts education and ample opportunities to practice media convergence." Brian Brooks Undergraduate Studies Dean

How do you benefit from learning from faculty who have had practical experience in the field?

"It helps to learn skills from someone who has had to practice them day in and day out. It gives you a good idea of what is going to be required in your workplace in the future. Having professors who are the journalists paving the path in convergence gives us a huge advantage, because we are getting to learn from the people who are actually creating this practice." Stefanie Zimmerman Media Convergence Student Springfield, Mo.

"Hands-on experience is a lot more important than theory, because hands-on experience provides one with better skills once they enter the workplace. Our convergence faculty and the other experts they involve in the program can provide us with the knowledge and skills we need to become multi-talented." Lance Edwards Media Convergence Student Rosenberg, Texas

What other qualities and skills are valuable?

"The most important professional skills are management skills. Some think of convergence people as purely technical, but the truth is the people of convergence are those able to see the big picture and able to find the needs of the audience. Also, everyone should understand basic Web site production and how files move through the Internet." Lynda Kraxberger Media Convergence Faculty

Where do Missouri Journalism students get internships?

"Our students usually have had at least one internship by the time they graduate. These have been in news reporting, producing, advertising, photography, public relations, magazine writing, event planning, design and much more. The internships are in major U.S. cities as well as in smaller communities, representing the wide range of interests of our students, who, incidentally, come from every state in the nation and from more than 30 countries. You might want to check out a list of almost 300 student internships at media outlets, agencies and other organizations where our students have worked in recent years." Phou Sengsavanh Career Center

What kind of jobs are graduates getting with a media convergence emphasis?

"We are seeing an interest from both traditional newspapers and TV stations who are experimenting with convergence in their own newsrooms. We expect our students to work for major media companies. We have already attracted attention from USAToday.com and KCNC, a CBS affiliate in Denver, Colo. We see both national media organizations as well as smaller local news operations interested in what we have to offer." Lynda Kraxberger Media Convergence Faculty

"We will have career opportunities available to us that other journalism students may not have. In a time where budget cuts are all too common in newsrooms, employing a person trained in media convergence seems extremely practical. Convergence people can do jobs that used to need more than one person. Media convergence is slowly but surely becoming mainstream. I think after we graduate and in the years that come, our skills will be in high demand." Dominique Renoit Media Convergence Student Miami, Fla.

What are the salaries and working environment like in this field?

"Currently, there aren't enough people working in convergence journalism to draw any firm conclusions. Obviously, major media companies are quite interested in finding employees who can help them cope with the rapid changes new technology is bringing. Yet, there are also folks I'd call convergent journalists who are working in small markets or even creating their own products. There's pretty strong evidence that journalists with Internet skills are being offered jobs that pay more than 'traditional' positions from entry level on up." Mike McKean Media Convergence Faculty

"Salaries depend on the particular job tasks, the size of company you'll work for, and the location or region in which you work. For information on specific jobs in certain locations, two Web sites to visit for more detailed salary information are www.salary.com or www.monster.com." Phou Sengsavanh Career Center

What is one tip you would give incoming students about this sequence?

"While in high school, learn to be creative with whatever tools you have available, especially digital tools. At Mizzou, beginning as a freshman, you can participate in the iLife Movie Challenge. As a sophomore you will produce multimedia content in News 2100. We hold job fairs at the beginning of the fall semester, and you can always contact faculty in the convergence sequence to find out more about the program. These are all good ways to get a handle on what you want to do and what you're potentially good at doing in journalism." Mike McKean Media Convergence Faculty

"A convergence student needs to pay attention to all forms of media and how stories are presented in each. Even students who are passionate about being a broadcaster or news editor should know that once you enter the world of journalism, employers value those who know how to converge. So, you might as well get a good understanding of all forms of media even if you are in a separate sequence." Lance Edwards Media Convergence Student Rosenberg, Texas

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