Students prepare for changes to the media environment

CSU journalism lecturer Kay Nankervis said that despite these changes, the new media landscape will continue to employ digitally-adept journalism graduates.

“So, while we will have to wait and see what happens to local content, Charles Sturt University will continue to produce world-class journalism graduates for the modern media workforce,” she said.

Ms Nankervis said she wasn’t surprised that ABC management’s recent decision to reorganise local programming across its regional radio network has raised fears of further job cuts. However ABC management says the programming changes for the bush are aimed at modernising, not cost cutting, and no regional airtime will be lost.

“While these changes are happening at ABC regional stations, it’s also disappointing to see further shrinkage of Fairfax Media newspapers across western and central west NSW,” she said.

Ms Nankervis said that 18 Fairfax newspapers have been affected by cuts, with one paper closing, weekly edition numbers reduced at seven others, and service changes at another nine. Twenty seven positions in total are to be cut, focussing on sub-editors.

“It will be interesting to see what happens to Fairfax regional newsrooms over the next couple of years following these restructures and job cuts,” Ms Nankervis said.

First year Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) student Kirstie Fitzpatrick is currently an intern at the Central Western Daily and despite the changes, is positive about the future of journalism.

“I’ve always wanted to do journalism, even from when I was quite young. The dream is to be a travel journalist, but I’ve always had a passion for writing,” she said.

“But in the age of digitalisation and of convergence, it’s not just about writing anymore, it’s about being able to take photographs, do interviews, being the whole package.”

Ms Fitzpatrick says that training and working as a journalist in a rural paper has significant benefits over doing the same at a city newspaper.

“It is hugely different,” she said, “Here it’s more of a feeling that you’re involved in the community and in the story, rather than just someone reporting. You get to work on a more personal level, plus you really do get to do it all.”