Missouri School of Journalism
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| Missouri School of Journalism
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| Established | 1908 |
| Founder | Walter Williams |
| Dean | R. Dean Mills |
| Location | Columbia, Missouri, USA |
| Buildings | Neff Hall, Neff Annex, Walter Williams Hall, Gannett Hall, Lee Hills Hall, Reynolds Journalism Institute |
| Enrollment | Total, 2,250 (approximate) 2,000 undergraduate |
| Faculty | 80+ |
| Homepage | journalism.missouri.edu |
The Missouri School of Journalism is the world’s first school of journalism.[1] It was founded by Walter Williams on Sept. 14, 1908, on the campus of the University of Missouri. A daily newspaper, the University Missourian (now called the Columbia Missourian) also began publishing on that day, beginning a century of hands-on journalism education for students.
Today, the Missouri School of Journalism is generally considered one of the top journalism schools in the world [citation needed] for its “Missouri Method.” Students learn about journalism in the classroom as well as practicing it in real multimedia laboratories. With a commercial television station, a community news organization, an international journalists’ magazine, a citizen-driven Web site, a local culture magazine, an NPR member radio station and a student-staffed advertising and public relations agency, Missouri offers hands-on opportunities for all areas of journalism and strategic communication.
History
The school opened on September 14, 1908, at the urging of Joseph Pulitzer, following lobbying by Walter Williams, the editor of the Columbia (Missouri) Herald and a University curator. It operated out of Switzler Hall.
The Missouri state senate in 1895 defeated a bill that requested a chair of journalism be established at the school (previously newspapers usually required apprenticeships). The Missouri Press Association began supporting the proposal in 1896.
The first day's class published the first issue of the University Missourian which was to become the Columbia Missourian. Williams was the first dean. Among the original faculty members was Charles G. Ross who was to be press secretary for President Harry S. Truman.
In 1910 the school began its Journalism Week celebration.
In 1919 Jay Holcomb Neff Hall, the first building formally assigned to the school, was built based on a donation from Neff's son (and 1913 Journalism graduate) Andrew Neff from the estate of his father who was a Kansas City, Missouri publisher and mayor. The donation at the time was the biggest in the university history.[2]
In 1921 the school offered the world's first master's degree in journalism.
In 1930 it launched the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism.
In 1934 it offered the world's first Doctor of Philosophy degree in journalism.
In 1936 the school began offering broadcast courses in conjunction with KFRU, the station owned by the St. Louis Star-Times.
In 1944 Prof. Clifton C. Edom and his wife Vi, in association with the school, developed the News Pictures of Year Competition and Exhibition, now Pictures of the Year International, launching the College Photograph of the Year program a year later.[3][4]
In 1953 the school launched KOMU-TV, the only commercial affiliate television station used as a training lab for students.
In 1958 the school opened the Freedom of Information Center, the world's first academic center dedicated to the topic.
In 1971, the school switched its radio news programming to KBIA.
In 1981, the school was ranked the top journalism school in the country, under dean Roy M. Fisher.
In 2008, Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute opened, offering advanced studies of journalism and its role in democratic societies. The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation awarded the Missouri School of Journalism $31 million for the creation of the Institute in February 2004, the largest private donation ever to the University of Missouri. The school also celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008.
Missouri firsts
- The Missouri School of Journalism is the world’s first school of journalism, opening in 1908.
- It awarded the world’s first undergraduate journalism degree in 1909, the first master’s degree in journalism in 1921, and the first doctor of philosophy degree in journalism in 1934.
- International students were represented in the school’s first full graduating class.
- The Columbia Missourian was the first PC-networked newspaper newsroom in the world.
- Mojo Ad, the student-staffed advertising agency is the first that specializes in the youth and young adult (YAYA) market.
- Founded in 1958, The Freedom of Information Center [1] is the world’s first academic center dedicated to the topic.
Degrees offered
- Bachelor of Journalism
- Master of Arts
- Doctor of Philosophy
Undergraduate emphasis areas
- Convergence Journalism
- Magazine Journalism
- Photojournalism
- Print and Digital News
- Radio-Television Journalism
- Strategic Communication
Graduate degrees
A strong connection with theory, research and practice is the philosophy behind the School’s graduate degree program. Students have access to several applied research centers, including the Center for Advanced Social Research, the Health Communication Research Center, Psychological Research on Information and Media Effects (PRIME) Lab, and the Stephenson Research Center, named for the late William Stephenson, known globally as the inventor of Q-methodology. The Reynolds Journalism Institute develops and tests ways to improve journalism through new technology and improved processes. The Frank L. Martin Journalism Library provides numerous resources for scholarship. The first master of arts degree in journalism was offered at Missouri in 1921; the first doctor of philosophy degree in journalism in 1934.
Masters degree
With approximately two dozen models, the master of arts in journalism degree can be tailored to fit the student’s interests. Students have three general ways to complete the degree program: the on-campus two-year program, the online program and the BJ/MA (bachelor’s degree plus one-year master’s studies) program. There are three journalism-law options for students who wish to pursue both the master’s in journalism and the juris doctorate in law. More than 50 of the School’s professors serve on the graduate faculty.
Doctoral degree
The doctoral program offers numerous scholarship opportunities in five areas. These are: communication theory, history, law and ethics, media and society, and political communication. Journalism-Law options help prepare students for specialty careers in media and law. The doctoral faculty of more than 20 specialize in all areas of journalism and mass communication.
Real media outlets
As part of the "Missouri Method" of hands-on journalism education, undergraduate and graduate students work at the School's 10 community-based real-media outlets. News is delivered using traditional, online and mobile formats. The outlets include the Columbia Missourian, a community news organization; KOMU-TV, the NBC affiliate for mid-Missouri; KBIA-FM, an NPA member station; Vox, a weekly entertainment magazine; Radio Adelante, a Spanish-language radio program; MyMissourian, a citizen-driven Web site; the Global Journalist, a magazine for the international news business; Newsy.com, an online video news service; Missouri Digital News, a state government reporting program located in Jefferson City; and Mojo Ad, an advertising and public relations agency.
Missouri journalism numbers (approximate)
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- 2000 undergraduates
- 220 master’s degree students
- 30 doctoral degree students
- 80+ faculty members
- 40 percent of graduate students are international students
- More than 30 countries typically are represented in the student body
- 15 percent of undergraduates study abroad each year
Sample undergraduate career paths
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- Investigative reporter
- Public relations specialist
- Magazine writer
- News Artist
- Radio and television producer and reporter
- Advertising copy writer
- Photographer
- Legal writer
- International correspondent
- TV news anchor
- Online journalist
- Art director
- Newspaper designer
- Magazine designer
- Copy editor
- News editor
- Multi-media producer
- News executive
- Media critic
- Editorial columnist
Journalism facilities
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- Five buildings (soon-to-be seven) on the main campus that house:
- Newsrooms for print media outlets (Columbia Missourian [2], VOX magazine [3], IPI Global Journalist [4])
- Two high-tech design labs
- Three major writing labs
- A digital television editing lab
- Two major auditoriums with state-of-the-art audiovisual capability
- An electronic photojournalism laboratory for photojournalism students
- An advanced computer lab for producing Web-based text, audio and video materials
- More than 550 computers for student, faculty and staff use
- Wireless network access
- KOMU 8, a commercial NBC-affiliate television station
- KBIA 91.3 FM an NPR-affiliate radio station
- Journalism Library
- More than 50,000 books
- 167 periodicals
- 41 daily domestic newspapers
- 18 international newspapers
- Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute [5], dedicated Sept. 12, 2008, houses:
- Journalism Futures Laboratory
- Technology Demonstration Center
- Collaborative forums, seminar rooms, office space
Off-site programs
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- Jefferson City, Missouri
- Brussels
- London
- New York City
- Washington, D.C.
- Study abroad locations in more than 10 countries
- Formal partnerships with more than 12 educational programs in nine countries, including Moscow State University and Sciences-Po in Paris.
Professional organizations headquartered at the Missouri School of Journalism
Numerous professional organizations and programs housed at the School and the Reynolds Journalism Institute allow students to interact with working journalists and news-related organizations. These include the Association of Health Care Journalists [6]; the Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism; the Committee of Concerned Journalists, located in Washington, D.C.; Investigative Reporters and Editors [7]; Journalism and Women’s Symposium; Missouri Interscholastic Press Association; National Freedom of Information Coalition [8]; National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting [9]; National Newspaper Association [10]; News21, part of the Carnegie Knight Initiative on the Future of Journalism; Pictures of the Year International; and the Religion Newswriters Association [11].
Accreditation
- Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications [12]
Distinctions
The Missouri School of Journalism …
- Operates the only network-affiliated television newsroom in the country designed as a teaching facility for students.
- Awards the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism, one of the profession’s highest honors.
- Publishes a daily community newspaper, a weekly city magazine, a monthly Spanish-language newspaper and a quarterly magazine for international journalists.
- Hosts the annual Pictures of the Year International [13] photography competition, which began as Pictures of the Year contest in 1944.
- Has large and active student chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists [14] and the American Advertising Federation[15].
- Houses the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association, created in 1923 to promote journalism to middle and high school students.
- Hosts AHANA [16] (African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American), the oldest Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Minority Journalism Workshop.
The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute
The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute [17] is a center for researching and testing new models of journalism in this era of technological advances. RJI makes the most of its location at the Missouri School of Journalism and the research-extensive resources at the University of Missouri. It also takes advantage of the collective creativity of visiting professionals and researchers.
RJI was launched in 2004 with an initial grant of $31 million from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation [18]. In conjunction with the centennial celebration of the Missouri School of Journalism, it officially dedicated its world headquarters on Sept. 12, 2008. This 50,000 square-foot facility has state-of-the-art resources to test and demonstrate new technologies, experiment with convergence news production and delivery systems, and conduct real-time and virtual seminars and conferences.
RJI’s work crosses diverse specialties within journalism, including media convergence, editorial content and methods, the evolution of advertising, innovation in management and the impact of new technologies. It also includes varied fields on campus such as law, computer science, marketing, education and other disciplines.
Endowed Chairs
1982: Goldenson Chair in Local Broadcasting The Goldenson Chair in Local Broadcasting was first established in 1982. It was intended to help develop research programs and educate communities through local stations. This chair is named for Leonard Goldenson (1905-1999), who founded American Broadcasting Company.
1986: Meredith Chair in Service Journalism The Meredith Corporation, based out of Des Moines, Iowa, established an endowed chair in service journalism at the Missouri School of Journalism in 1986.
1995: Lee Hills Chair in Free-Press Studies Lee Hills had a long and varied newspaper career; during his life he worked as a reporter, foreign correspondent, news editor, editorial writer, editor, managing editor, executive editor, publisher and CEO of two major newspapers, the Detroit Free Press and The Miami Herald. Hills, who attended the Missouri School of Journalism between 1927 and 1929, was also the first chairman and CEO of Knight-Ridder Newspapers.
1997: Knight Chair in Journalism The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation helped fund an endowed chair and program in editing at the Missouri School of Journalism, recognizing editors as central to the success of a newspaper.The Knight Chair in Journalism and the Knight Center for Editing Excellence, which stimulates innovations in teaching and research on editing, was partially funded by the state of Missouri, which provided a $1.5M matching grant. Programming at The Knight Center is aimed at educating and assisting high school students, undergraduates, graduate students and mid-career professionals.
1997: Maxine Wilson Gregory Chair in Journalism Research Maxine Wilson Gregory, an alumna of the Missouri School of Journalism, died in New York City in 1995. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas, after which time she attended MU, graduating in 1930. Mrs. Gregory worked as an editor on various book projects after graduation, and a bequest made after her death was used to fund the endowed chair that bears her name.
1998: Houston Harte Chair in Journalism The family of Houston Harte, co-founder of the Harte-Hanks newspaper group, established the Houston Harte Chair in Journalism. Harte, who graduated in 1915, bought his first newspaper while still a student at the Missouri School of Journalism. At the time of his death, he was executive chairman of Harte-Hanks Newspapers, Inc., which owned 19 newspapers and one television station. The Houston Harte Chair at MU works as a teaching editor at the Columbia Missourian, the general-circulation daily newspaper staffed by professors and students.
1998: Curtis B. Hurley Chair in Public Affairs Reporting When Edgar A. McLaughlin graduated from the Missouri School of Journalism in 1931, he said, "If I ever make any money, I am going to do something for this place." Years later a gift from the E.A. and Lucile McLaughlin estate recognized Curtis B. Hurley, the country editor who, in 1927, both encouraged McLaughlin to study journalism at Missouri, and also lent him $400 to do so. McLaughlin credited Hurley and his experience at the School of Journalism with turning his life around, and left the bulk of his estate to the School.
2000: Missouri Chair in Community Newspaper Management More than 100 community publishers, alumni of the school, and friends of MPA and the school made contributions to make this endowed chair possible. The Chair in Community Newspaper Management is a joint effort by the Missouri School of Journalism and the Missouri Press Association to strengthen and promote the teaching of community newspapering.
2000: Society of American Business Editors and Writers Endowed Missouri Chair in Business and Financial Journalism The SABEW Chair in Business and Financial Journalism is a joint effort by the Missouri School of Journalism and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers to strengthen and promote the teaching of business journalism. Headquartered at the Missouri School of Journalism, SABEW is an organization of more than 3,200 dedicated business and financial writers and editors.
2008: Donald W. Reynolds Endowed Chair in Business Journalism The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation awarded the Missouri School of Journalism a $2 million grant to establish the Donald W. Reynolds Endowed Chair in Business Journalism in 2008. The chair is the second in business journalism at the School, joining the Society of American Business Editors and Writers Chair, established in 2000. Working with other faculty and staff of Reynolds Journalism Institute, the Reynolds Chair helps develop, test and write about new digital models of journalism and advertising.
References
- ^ http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/33306422/Worlds-First-JSchool-Celebrates-100-Years
- ^ A Creed for My Profession: Walter Williams, Journalist to the World - By Ronald T. Farrar - University of Missouri Press - 1998 - ISBN 0826211887 - Page 175 (available on print.google.com)
- ^ Pictures of the Year International History
- ^ College Photographer of the Year History
External links
