Nay-sayers have proclaimed radio is dead, and the most recent drain on analog has been the Internet. Popular radio platforms like Spotify and Pandora are streamable right to our smartphones and have more and more people turning down the FM.
Between the general public listening in stores or in their cars, or even using apps like iHeartRadio and Radio.com radio is still in high demand.
Touring iHeart’s office you come across some of the biggest names in Detroit radio like 100.3’s Jay Towers and the triple mic set up and production studio for 95.5’s Mojo in the Morning.
“There’s a role for everyone in radio,” Aaron Klauber, Director of Marketing and Promotions at iHeartMedia Detroit said. “During an internship, sometimes they see a section and realize that’s what they like and what they are good at, and once the internship is over, they’ve already had experience and have the upper hand when applying here versus someone from the outside applying. We already have seen their work ethic.”
These types of opportunities are beneficial to EMU students, and are one of the highlights to the new Media Studies and Journalism Major announced Oct. 7. The new degree was created to provide across the board training for future journalists in print or broadcast.
With the demands growing for both broadcast and print journalists, Carol Schlagheck, Journalism Program Coordinator at Eastern Michigan University, sees the opportunity to visit this industry as an intern.
“I believe radio broadcasting students could benefit,” Schlagheck said. “We have a lot of students transfer into the Electronic Media and Film Studies program from Specs Howard School of Broadcasting, for instance, and continue their studies toward a bachelor's degree here.”
Eastern recently chose to combine courses from two programs: Journalism and Communications, Media and Theatre Arts to create a core curriculum for the new degree.
“All of these fields are converging in ways we can only imagine,” Schlagheck said. “Radio hosts are blogging and tweeting. ‘Print’ journalists are shooting video. TV broadcasters are writing stories for the Web.”
By applying knowledge from both of these departments a student should be well rounded when transitioning into an internship from EMU. The Media Studies and Journalism Major requires three credit hours of internship to complete the degree.
To find out more information for opportunities at iHeartMedia Detroit, contact Klauber at AaronKlauber@iHeartMedia.com and to find out more about the Media Studies and Journalism Program, please contact cschlaghe@emich.edu.