A Decade of Convergence at BYU

Dale CressmanQuint Randle

Dale CressmanQuint Randle

A Decade of Convergence at BYUA Decade of Convergence at BYU

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

DivergingDiverging

• Broadcast and print curriculum no longer conflated

• Faculty still committed to some characteristics of convergence– “It wasn’t what we thought it was”

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

How did we get here?How did we get here?

• 1994: Midterm elections• 1995: “Unified Newsroom” concept

– “Convergence of circumstances”

• 1996: Programs, newsrooms combined• “Super Reporter” in beginning reporting

class

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

Convergence Curriculum

Convergence Curriculum

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

ChallengesChallenges

• Watered-down journalism experience– Balance between print and broadcast

assignments–One broadcast faculty member, two lab

instructors (difficult to teach broadcast skills to all 321 students)

• Broadcast students needed more production skills classes, forced to play catch up during senior year

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

He Warned UsHe Warned Us

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

Cultural FactorsCultural Factors

• Print paradigm– Editors instead of producers–No broadcast assignment desk

• Print management and priorities– supervision– no longer on air

• Student preferences

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

Cultural FactorsCultural Factors

• Gentry’s continuum: Easy versus Hard– (co-location, same ownership)

• Gordon’s five types of convergence: –Ownership– Tactical convergence– Structural– Information-gathering– Story-telling convergence

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

Current ModelCurrent Model

• Independent, but cooperative curricula• Independent, co-located laboratories• Multimedia class: “touchstone” of

convergence

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

Diverged Curriculum

Diverged Curriculum

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

Multimedia JournalismMultimedia Journalism

• Team-based, project-centered• Story-telling paradigm

–Using the medium best suited for the story•Flash•Print•Video•Audio

• Students are skilled reporters & writers in their medium

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

Multimedia JournalismMultimedia Journalism

• Work in teams with students who specialize in another medium

• Develop experience in judging which medium can best tell the story

• Opportunities to specialize in Design/Multimedia

A Decade of Convergence at BYU

Convergence: Not all or nothingConvergence: Not all or nothing

• Dramatic improvement in quality of broadcast students’ work

• Higher quality of multimedia projects• Streamlined curriculum

– Students get into broadcast program sooner–More options for print students–More focused experience before graduation

(both print and broadcast)