So finds a survey sponsored by the Radio-Television News Directors Foundation. When news directors were asked which school does the best job of preparing students for careers in TV news, more than a third of those who named a school said the University of Missouri and nearly a fourth said Northwestern. In both programs, students learn to do by doing. All students do reporting, photography, production and some anchoring for the stations. Northwestern graduate students report, produce and voice news feeds to radio and TV stations around the U.S. from the Medill News Service in Washington.
News directors turn to such programs for entry-level hiring.
Nine of every 10 TV news people hired just out of college are journalism and mass communication majors. But there is no one best school . Best in one way may not be best in another. There were 348 mentions by 235 respondents. Similar surveys were conducted by me in 1976 and 1984, sponsored by the Radio-Television News Directors Association.