From newsroom to classroom: exploring the transition from journalism practitioner to journalism educator

For some years journalism has been in a state of transition and there has been much discussion around the causes of and solutions to the so-called ‘crisis’. This paper examines the key thematic debates of the crisis and suggests that the industry’s ongoing state of flux has given rise to a parallel uncertainty - even disagreement - among scholars about journalism and journalism education’s purpose and future. What becomes apparent is a gap in research around journalism academics themselves, many of whom are former practitioners; hitherto the focus has largely been on the journalism industry, the profession, education and the curriculum. We suggest that greater attention to the transition that takes place between being a journalism practitioner and becoming an educator would provoke a deeper understanding of the role, value and views of the journalism academic in the context of an emerging industry and education landscape.