Postgraduate Courses in Journalism and Publizistik

_jp__ D ublin C ity U n iv ersity Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Atha Cliath D u blin <j, Ir ela n d . SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS MA BY RESEARCH JOURNALISM EDUCATION IN EUROPE Three traditions and the case of Greece By Antonis Skamnakis I hereby certify that this material, which I now submit for assessment on the programme of study leading to the award of /j . ....... (insert title of degree for which registered) is entirely my own work and has not been taken from the work of others save and to the extent that such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text of my work. Signed:—1 V ^ ID No:— ^ G -f' I Ly V C*-------- Candidate DATE: S I *1 I n , __________ Journalism education in Europe: Three traditions and the case of Greece by Antonis Skamnakis Abstract The aim of this dissertation is to explain the changes taking place in the field of journalism education and training across Europe It also aims to present the situation in a country without formal journalism training until 1990. This study was conducted with the premise that journalism is mainly an intellectual and social activity which is very important for democratic society. For this reason it would be more than valuable for those involved in the field to understand the importance of journalism education. Nowadays, there is still a strong debate, often polemic, about the nature of journalism studies. O n the one hand, theoretical knowledge about journalism is considered to be necessary in society. O n the other hand, practical knowledge is believed to be absolutely necessary for the profession. This debate has led to an educational dichotomy. In fact, this dichotomy is deeply rooted in the unequal development of m o d e m industrial society and the different cultures which emerged in Europe before and during the nation-building process of the 18th and 19th centuries. This debate about the nature of journalism studies also reflects the differences between the academic and the professional world. It should be noted, however, that journalism and press studies, in continental Europe, became a part of the university system long time before the emergence of this debate. Lectures in journalism were given at the German and Swiss universities by the beginning of the century. Three main traditions emerged in journalism and journalism education and training in Europe. The first, could be called Industrial, developed mainly in U S A and Great Britain. The second, could be called Philosophical, developed in Central Europe and the third, could be called Literary, developed in South Europe. Contents Chapter 1: Introduction............................................................................................. p 2 Chapter 2: Journalism education in Europe. Past and present........... p 10 Part I : Journalism education in Western Europe Part 2: Journalism education in Central and Eastern Europe Chapter 3: Press and broadcasting in Greece....................... p 91 Chapter 4: Journalism and journalism studies in Greece.............. p 113 Chapter5: Conclusions...................................... p 138 Appendix.................. p 154 Bibliography:................................................ p163 i Chapter 1: Introduction The following project on journalism education and training in Europe, with special reference to Greece, is a result of an interest by the author about the future of journalism education and training. Today in most European countries journalism can be found as an area of studies in a great number of different types of educational institutions such as universities, colleges of higher education, post-secondary institutes or private vocational schools. In all these institutions journalism needs to be nurtured and respected as a distinct area of studies within the broader field of mass communication studies. There are four kind of journalism education and training models in Europe: -On the job training -Further training centres -Professional schools of journalism -University courses The "on-the-job5 training is the oldest path of journalism education and reflects the embryonic development of journalism and the press during the 18th century, a time when many journalists trained through an apprenticeship that begun in a newspaper. Further training centres were established after the Second World War to provide further and continuing training, mainly, for professionals. Such centres were established in Germany and France by the end of the Second World War. Professional schools of journalism were established in Europe from the beginning of the ccntury. Many of them were involved in the higher education system. The first professional school, the Ecole de Superiere de Journalisme, was founded in Paris in 1899. University courses, especially in press studies, were also introduced from the beginning of the century, mainly, in continental Europe. However, it should be said that there are university programmes focus in media and communication in which journalism is also taught. This kind of programmes could form a fifth category. One can distinguish between the terms ‘journalism education’ and ‘journalism training\ This distinction is made for historical reasons as well as for the need of this project; in fact, the terms in question could be used as synonyms, bearing a similar meaning. Broadly speaking, studies referring to the above terms emphasise knowledge, skills and qualifications gained through a formal process i.e. vocational schools or higher education courses. However, in this project when the term ‘journalism education’ appears a third level course possibly inclusive of a practical element is referred to. This means the formal education provided at an academic level. The term ‘journalism training’ refers to the knowledge that a journalist usually acquires not necessarily by studying at an academic institution but by their practical and professional knowledge. The importance of a university education for journalists was recognised in 1993, by the Council of Europe which presented a report on the ‘Ethics of Journalism’. In this report it was written that “ people wishing to become journalists must have a university education, with a general or specialised qualification.” 1 Winston recently pointed out that: "Journalism is different from philosophy, or history, or chemistry, or any of the traditional academic disciplines represented in our institutes of higher education. It is different, also, from other ‘practical' branches of education, such as law, or medicine, or engineering, where pure academic knowledge is clearly linked with professional competence. None of us, would like to be represented by a lawyer, or treated by a doctor, or have a house built by an architect who did not have the necessary academic qualifications. ' '(Winston, 1996, p 23). 1 Parliamentary Assembly, report 'On the Ethics of Journalism’ 17 June 1993, Doc 6854. -Today, the university system in Europe is more open to society than any time before. Additionally, more and more new fields of studies have been introduced in the higher institutes, even in those countries in which professional training was completely absent from the university curricula. The development of post-mdustnal society demands a strong link between the university and industry. Under these circumstances, the introduction of journalism training at university level became dominance. Indeed, in the academic year 1997-1998 twelve British universities offered Bachelor degrees in journalism. Fifteen more universities offered journalism courses under their regular programme of media or/and communications studies. In the early 1990s no British university or former polytechnic offered a Bachelor degree programme in journalism. In continental Europe during the same period a number of universities started offering specialised undergraduate courses in journalism in some cases in co-operation with the media industry. But should the universities change their nature from an academic establishment to a professional institute? Certainly, professional training should be offered at the university, in order to enhance the social and historical aim, which is to produce highly educated persons able to contribute to a better society. The development of journalism as a profession is strongly connected with the development of education and training. The sociological features of the profession will be reinforced to the degree that a system of journalism studies will be developed, especially at the academic level. “ Efforts to improve training indicate that professionalisation can be expected to increase in joumalism” (Kunczik, 1988, p 24). However, the dominant view in Europe is that journalism is an occupation or a profession and therefore what a journalist needs is “ a strictly vocational training generally taught by experienced journalists.” (Reus and Becker, 1993, p 5). O n the other hand, it is true that ' ‘Compared to analysis of the effects of mass communication there has not been much research into journalism in mass communication scholarship for a long time. " (Kunczik, 1988, p 7). 4 However, in Germany since the beginning of the 20th century studies of the press were regularly introduced at the universities and "The field was regarded as a distinct branch of learning newspaper science (Zeitungswssenschaft) which became incorporated into the activities of many German universities in the inter-war period" (Katzen, 1975, p 72). Since then in Germany, journalism has been regarded not only as a profession, but also as a specific research

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