...it's here to stay

There is always controversy about something new.  Backpack Journalism is no different.  After reading both of the articles, I have stumbled between a little bit of frustration and concern about whether picking convergence as my sequence is a good thing, but I have emerged more confident than ever.  In "Backpack Journalism is a Mush of Mediocrity," Stone writes, "However, the do-it-all journalists should be the exception, not the rule."  I find it very close-minded to say that superior work should not be expected, or strived for in the newsroom.  Backpack journalism isn't necessarily do-it-all, all of the time.  It is an understanding and knowledge of all of the different mediums and a concentration in a specific area.  It is about teamwork and as Steven says in "Backpack Journalism is here to Stay," it is the way to achieve context and continuity, which are vital in delivering the news.  Currently, many newsrooms are making that switch and converging.  They are at a setback because their education was in a specific area and now they are scrambling to learn the basics.  In attending a journalism school, such as here at Mizzou, we are one step ahead.  We will be learning how to operate within the different medias, and when it comes time to tell a story, it will be a matter of deciding which way is the best to properly deliver it.

As for backpack journalists being a mush of mediocrity or a “jack of all trades, and the master of none,” I disagree.  To be able to tell a story in many forms, across multiple platforms only strengthens the story and make sit more interesting.  A person can be a master of one media (his or her emphasis), and be good at the rest which will strengthen the story overall.  Not to mention with a team of masters, with each a master of a different medium, and all of which have good to average knowledge about all of the different platforms will put together a much better story than a team whose members solely know how to story tell on one platform and are not familiar with the rest. 

I also like the line in “Backpack Journalism is Here to Stay” that reads, “Oh, and with a few more multimedia stories under his belt, Preston Mendenhall will begin to see his dirty camera lens.”  With practice and a continued training support system, backpack journalism can improve and thrive.  Convergence media is a case where more is better.  Of course, depending on the nature of the journalist, he or she will thrive and lean towards a certain media, but an overall education will improve and expand the content and make for a more informed audience.  Backpack journalism doesn't just seem like a good idea, it seems necessary for well-rounded storytelling.