Medill alum George Beres’ column today in The Daily about how IMC is ruining Medill unearths a tidbit:
In the late 1990s, early in Ken Bode’s term as dean of Medill, I met with him to ask if the school might cleanse itself of its growing public relations identity.
Bode told me that while he recognized my concerns, he believed that maintaining a thriving Integrated Marketing Communications program at Medill was essential for the school’s future financial well-being. The actions of Bode’s successor, Loren Ghiglione, appeared to mirror Bode’s views.
I emphasized the line because I’ve never heard that suggestion before.
The rest of Beres’ argument is fairly familiar: Thinking about marketing makes us forget to think about truth. He says that all traces of IMC should taken out of the journalism curriculum, because a “[f]ailure to discard the marketing focus can only lead to the prostitution of the profession.”
His column is a response to Medill senior Loka Ashwood’s column earlier this month about the same theme. She argues students looking for an education in reporting the truth are getting lost in Medill’s teaching about business and economics. That column has provoked a deluge of comments on every side of the debate.
Randolph D. Brandt says that as a long-time journalist he sees the value of Medill’s decisions:
Economic fundamentals and business literacy sound like things every good reporter or editor would want in the quiver.
A bit later on in the comments, Jeff Yoders (MSJ ‘02) lashes out at the school:
As a Medill alum and a working journalist (not product manager) I can assure you, Lora, that many of us are as ashamed as you of what’s going on in Evanston right now.
What do you guys think? Has Medill’s journalism education been sold out to the marketing side of the school?