Book review: Radio in the Global Age

Hendy, David (2000), Radio in the Global Age, (revised edition), Polity Press, Cambridge, 260pp. ISBN 0 7456 20698 Reviewed by Barbara Alysen The first thing that strikes you about David Hendy’s comprehensive overview of contemporary radio is that it exists at all. Radio, as the author notes early on, is often overlooked among the modern media. The medium McLuhan designated as “hot” in a world he predicted would favour “cool” media (p. 1), radio has survived; thrived even. In Australia, for example, Australians have between them some 36 million radios and more than half of all households boast five or more sets (Radio Marketing Bureau, 2000, 242). But as much as radio is ubiquitous, it remains “taken for granted” and a media minnow (p. 2-3). Radio, Hendy (p. 5) says early on, “needs to be reconnected with the mainstream of media and communication studies”

Reporting in a multimedia world

The breathless pace of change in the news media renders many traditional "how to" journalism guides out of date. Here's an up-to-date essential starter kit for aspiring journalists. All the basics about the power of words and the potency of numbers. Useful tips about internet use, technology, video journalism and photography. The career path, a neglected topic, will be invaluable for those who want to know where and how to start. Reporting in a Multimedia World is highly recommended.Professor Judy McGregor, Head of Department of Communication and Journalism, Massey University, New Zealand.Every journalist must be able to conduct an interview and write snappy copy. But now journalists need broader skills as well. No matter what field they are working in many now need to be able to wield a digital recorder or take photographs, talk to camera convincingly, and create content for online delivery. Reporting in a Multimedia World offers a thorough overview of the core skills journalists need for the 21st century. The authors show how to generate story ideas, handle interviews, write for different audiences, and edit your own copy. They explain the basics of news photography and broadcast media, as well as the requirements of Internet journalism. They also look at professional issues and career strategies. Written in a lively style and with case studies and tips from experienced journalists Reporting in a Multimedia World is an ideal introduction to an exciting and demanding profession

Moulding them in the industry's image: Journalism education's impact on students' professional views

Long-running debates over the value of university-based journalism education have suffered from a lack of empirical foundation, leading to a wide range of assertions both from those who see journalism education playing a crucial role in moulding future journalists and those who do not. Based on a survey of 320 Australian journalism students from six universities across the country, this study provides an account of the professional views these future journalists hold. Findings show that students hold broadly similar priorities in their role perceptions, albeit to different intensities from working journalists. The results point to a relationship between journalism education and the way in which students' views of journalism's watchdog role and its market orientation change over the course of their degree – to the extent that, once they are near completion of their degree, students have been moulded in the image of industry professionals