Next-Generation Journalism
I’m posting today with some exciting family news: my son Elliott has been accepted to the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State University where he’ll study journalism starting in the Fall of 2025.
The timing of his entrance into the field of journalism and media couldn’t be more important. We’re living at a time when the very nature of information sharing is being reshaped by technology, economics and politics. That change is coming from all angles. While traditional newsrooms and media outlets are facing unprecedented challenges, the need for skilled, ethical journalists who dedicate themselves to telling the truth has never been more vital to society.
As Elliott gets ready to join the class of ‘29 at Bellisario, I’m thinking a lot about the journalists who helped shape our understanding of the world and how he might join their ranks - from Woodward & Bernstein, to the emergence of cable news networks in the ’90s, to the more recent work of born-digital outlets like 404 Media that are reinventing the industry through revolutionary journalistic operating models. Each of these examples require skilled journalists willing to dig deeper, ask tough questions, innovate in the face of obstacles, and be brave when telling truth to power.
The challenges facing modern journalists are daunting and real. Misinformation. Media silos. AI slop. Economic and political pressures. It’s going to be hard, but seeing Elliott’s passion for this field gives me hope and fills me with pride. I’ve always tried to leverage a mindset where challenges present opportunities, and I hope I’ve instilled that in him. His generation understands intuitively how digital information flows, and it’s exciting to me that a new guard will be equipped with tools, instincts and ingenuity to flip these current challenges into opportunities that will benefit society.
To all the current and future journalists out there: keep asking questions, keep digging for truth, and keep telling the stories that need to be told. The world needs the next generation of journalists and I’m so proud Elliott will be among them.