If you could just stick around awhile, that'd be great

"In a recent episode of "The Simpsons," a cartoon version of Dan Rather introduced a debate panel featuring "Ron Lehar, a print journalist from the Washington Post." This inspired Bart's nemesis Nelson to shout, "Haw haw! Your medium is dying!" Nelson!" Principal Skinner admonished the boy. "But it is!" was the young man's reply.
Nelson is right. Newspapers are dying; the evidence of diminishment in economic vitality, editorial quality, depth, personnel, and the over-all number of papers is everywhere. What this portends for the future is complicated. Three years ago, Rupert Murdoch warned newspaper editors, "Many of us have been remarkably, unaccountably complacent . . . quietly hoping that this thing called the digital revolution would just limp along." Today, almost all serious newspapers are scrambling to adapt themselves to the technological and community-building opportunities offered by digital news delivery, including individual blogs, video reports, and "chat" opportunities for readers. Some, like the Times and the Post, will likely survive this moment of technological transformation in different form, cutting staff while increasing their depth and presence online. Others will seek to focus themselves locally."
--The New Yorker

I always love reading about how my chosen profession is dying.

NOT.

My brother sent me this article. It is rather lengthy but basically echos much of the of the noise coming from the media industry itself as well as critics: newspapers are dying. This is depressing to me because since high school I've wanted to be a journalist. Whenever I get asked why/how I knew this, I'm never quite sure what to say. I like writing and I know I'm good at it (not to tute my own horn or anything.) I think it may also have a bit to do with the fact that both my parents were journalists. While neither are in the business anymore, I come from a family of strong writers. (My brother's getting a PhD in German idealism; we don't know where he came from.)

While obviously the news industry will never die out completely (some people just gotta know what Britney's doing these days), I can't help but think about how ironic the timing is. It's becoming more difficult for new reporters to break into the profession since jobs are being slashed everywhere. Getting a degree from a multimedia-intensive program will obviously help me, but it's going to be difficult to get to where I want to be.

It is also ironic to me that foreign bureaus are being closed by news organizations all over the world at a time when it could not be more important to know what is going on in different countries. International communication is essential to surviving in today's globalized world, and we must continue to keep US citizens informed of world events if we want to even begin to dispell the animocity towards Americans abroad.

For a girl who wants to be a foreign correspondent, these things are not encouraging.

Still, I hope this is me someday.