Inspired by the series on social media by Danny Brown, “Discussing JMC with…” features a collection of interviews with academics from across the U.S. and abroad discussing current topics and trends in journalism and mass communication.
Bill Cassidy is an Associate Professor and Journalism Area Coordinator in the Department of Communication at Northern Illinois University. The 2009-2010 head of the Newspaper Division of AEJMC, he teaches courses in print journalism, mass communication theory and graduate research methods.
His research examines influences on news media content, specifically in the areas of online journalism, media credibility and AIDS coverage. Cassidy’s work has been published in journals such as Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Newspaper Research Journal, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, Atlantic Journal of Communication, and First Monday.
He earned his Ph.D. in Communication and Society from the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Houston and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tulsa. Prior to entering academia, Cassidy worked for more than a decade as a columnist and correspondent for Daily Racing Form, the leading publication in the Thoroughbred horse racing industry.
How do you define mass communication?
In my classes I initially address this question from the standpoint of “What is mass media?” We start with the word media which, of course, are the different technologies that facilitate communication between the senders and receivers of messages. Then when we introduce mass into the conversation, we arrive at a definition of mass media similar to the one offered in Croteau and Hoynes’ Media Society textbook, “media that reach a relatively large audience of usually anonymous readers.” I find this definition is a good starting point in addressing the fact that the distinctions between mass communication and other forms of communication are no longer so cut-and-dried.
How do you keep your students excited about working in the field of communications in light of shrinking job opportunities?
By being excited about it myself! I believe the work journalists do is vitally important in our society. Good journalism is powerful and can make a difference. So, it’s easy for me to maintain an enthusiastic presence in the classroom, which I hope is beneficial to my students. Furthermore, I think that, despite these tough times, there will always be a need for folks who can write well and think critically.
What changes do journalism and mass communication programs need to make in order to stay relevant today?
This question has been on my mind a great deal during the past year or so, as the journalism faculty here at NIU has been working hard to revamp our program to make it more relevant. In the process, we’ve had many interesting and enlightening conversations. Given university bureaucracy it’s a long and arduous process that is far from over; but we’re opening up our curriculum and giving students more opportunities to take courses in different mediums, rather than having a single emphasis. We are also offering more conceptual courses designed to help students further appreciate and grasp the important role journalists play in our society, as well as sharpen their critical thinking skills. We also want to offer more courses in new media and better incorporate new media into existing courses.
If you could save one journalism and mass communication course from extinction, what would it be, and why?
Information Gathering. In fact, we have brought this course back from the dead at NIU and I think the course is essential for journalism and mass communication programs. Citizens have access to such a huge amount of information that it can be difficult to wade through, synthesize and distinguish the credible from the ridiculous. In this day and age, journalists need to be able to help the public make sense of it all.
If you could offer a piece of advice to both your fellow educators and media professionals in the field, what would it be?
Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater! I sometimes worry that in our zeal to be cutting edge, we’ve put too much emphasis on teaching students how to use new technologies at the expense of everything else. I think we need to focus on the core principles of journalism, while at the same time teaching students how to best utilize technology in their work. I’ve seen research where news organizations state that critical thinking skills and writing ability are what they look for most in potential employees. Their philosophy seems to be that they can teach new employees how to use technology fairly easily. Furthermore, technology is changing so fast that it doesn’t seem logical for that to be the main focus.
What do you see for the future of journalism and mass communication both in general and in higher education?
This is a difficult question. I’ll address it in terms of what I HOPE to see. My answer comes from my own experience of being a journalism professor in departments of communication where subjects such as interpersonal, small group, organizational communication and rhetoric are all taught. While it’s all communication, a good journalism program has unique needs and sometimes that’s difficult for folks in other areas to understand. In order to build the strongest journalism program possible, I think that a university or college should have a faculty consisting of talented scholars AND talented professionals. Many of these professionals might lack a Ph.D., but they are vitally important to a strong program and have much to offer our students. I would like for those in administration to have a better understanding of this professional component of our field.