Changing the Future of Journlism Education

Frederick Cole, 83, a thin man of a medium height and a strong handshake, has worked arduously his whole life to establish his reputation as a tough and successful editor. With a resume that includes being editor to White House, and major establishments like The Chicago Sun, The Houston Chronicle, and The San Francisco Examiner, Cole has developed a keen sense of what it takes to be a true journalist. Read more to find out what Frederick Cole believes we should change about journalism education in America.

Frederick Cole says he got the majority of his education from the newsroom, and that he really took to learning at a young age, something that you don’t necessarily see in a lot of our aspiring journalists according to him.

Frederick Cole has taken great interest in the growing divide between our nation’s veteran and beginning editors. Cole believes that we need to acknowledge that there is a growing weakness in today’s Journalism education, and take action against it.

Despite accusations of being an “ogre” of an editor, Frederick Cole routinely inserts a smile so to assure his company otherwise.

So what does Cole believe that we as educators need to change? “We want young reporters who have enough imagination to go after the stories that are not usually done and to write them with a style and flair that will excite our readers,”said Cole. Not only do we need to crack down on journalism education, but according to Cole, we need to be diligent about the subjects we allow into the journalism field. Cole thinks that aspiring journalists should be put through a series of cognitive tests to see if they can compose the standard of journalism he would like to see achieved. Strong grammar and an understanding of the English language are among two important factors in what makes a good journalist, says Cole.

Frederick Cole has a very strong passion for the field of journalism, and he makes it very clear in his objectives. Cole has a rock-solid belief that our educators should be turning away students that cannot write well, or dig for a good story; he says that it will only be doing them a favor, since the field as a whole no longer wants them as writers.

Cole left off with a to-the point statement, “Journalism requires an outlook, a mental discipline, a curiosity and, above all, a willingness to work hard day and night.” Do we have what it takes to change the future of journalism education?