Training of journalists in Germany

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The training in journalism in Germany runs in very different ways. In addition to collective agreements and some guidelines, there are no binding legal regulations.

history

In 1916, Karl Bücher set up the first institute for newspaper studies in Germany at the University of Leipzig . On the one hand, he wanted to enable the budding journalists to receive an academically sound, vocational and journalistic training in order to raise the level of the press. On the other hand, a place for scientific research should be created for the press.

The first "newspaper training courses" for editors took place in the Weimar Republic .

In the time of National Socialism , institutions such as the Reich Press School were used by the regime to control communications.

With the Werner Friedmann Institute, the forerunner of the German School of Journalism , one of the first schools of journalism in the Federal Republic of Germany was founded in 1949 .

A major in journalism , which did not necessarily see itself as preparation for a career for journalists, was initially only offered at the universities in Berlin (FU), Münster and Munich; there was also the German School of Journalism in Munich. Since the thesis was often advocated that journalism was a talented profession that did not require any special qualifications, little emphasis was placed on targeted training. In contrast, for the GDR, studying journalism at Karl Marx University in Leipzig was an important and state-regulated approach.

While few younger people wanted to become journalists after the Second World War, the demand has been very high for several years. Despite some problems, there is often talk of a “dream job”, for example Jörg Sadrozinski , head of the German School of Journalism. There are no formal requirements for this, e.g. B. Abitur or university studies . The usual way used to be a one to two year traineeship in an editorial office or in a (broken off or completed) degree. For a long time the publishers' associations resisted binding stipulations.

Paths to Journalism

Today the offer is much more differentiated than before. In addition to the entry (if possible after the Abitur) mostly

  • through internships, internships and freelance work
  • and / or vocational training in another field as well
  • A traineeship of different lengths can also be accessed with different requirements (e.g. numerus clausus, entrance examination with knowledge and writing tests, evidence of internships, work samples)
  • studying at a technical college or university . The subject is not prescribed. Basically there is a choice between
    • Subject-related, but differently practice-oriented courses (e.g. journalism, media studies and communication studies versus journalism , media design, etc.)
    • as well as all other disciplines, such as German studies, sociology, psychology, foreign languages, economics and law, agricultural science, biology, etc. Due to a degree, the duration of the traineeship can be shortened as agreed.
  • In addition, corporate and publishing houses as well as independent (also church-oriented) journalism schools offer training, partly in cooperation with universities and in an extra-occupational form.
  • Distance learning is also possible .

In addition to basic training, there are numerous offers for advanced training.

In many editorial offices, an editor is responsible for training. It is not uncommon for editorial offices to carry out application tests and selection interviews that decide whether a training contract is to be concluded.

Personal requirements

The following characteristics are generally important in journalistic professions: good appearance, strong communication and teamwork skills, above-average general education, interest in political, social, cultural and other topics, quick comprehension, physical resilience, quick response to new issues, a sense of research, writing and speaking, also for visual and acoustic design, feeling for the topics in demand, reliability, patience, perseverance, knowledge of English, photo, PC and Internet skills, driver's license.

In its paper “Job Description of the Journalist”, the German Association of Journalists already formulated on September 25, 1984: “Depending on the requirements of their different areas of activity, journalists must have the following skills and characteristics: analytical and logical thinking, linguistic expression, a sense of acoustic and visual design options, technical knowledge of the medium, ability to communicate and the willingness to work together, empathy, activity, creativity. "

Content of the training

The various training paths convey the basics of journalistic work, especially in editorial offices, but also in the relevant study programs and courses. This includes, above all, selecting topics, researching, editing and writing texts for reports, comments, glosses, reports and reviews as well as interviewing; In addition, there are insights into the design of pages and programs, the selection of images and graphics, the use of archives, specialist literature and (on the radio ) original sounds. Basic knowledge of media law , media structures and z. B. on municipal and budget law are the subject of the training. If the training takes place in an editorial office, the trainees go through several departments, including departments such as politics, news, business, sport, culture, miscellaneous, science and magazine, depending on the layout of a house. Local and regional work is often seen as the basis. For training in radio, television and online editorial offices, their special structures and needs are decisive.

Collective agreements and guidelines on volunteering

Within the different training paths, only the traineeship with daily newspapers and magazines is regulated by collective agreements, but in contrast to apprenticeships in the industrial and commercial sector, there are no detailed statutory regulations. The traineeship lasts between twelve and a maximum of 24 months, depending on previous education and / or suitability. In the case of daily newspapers and magazines, however, z. B. for the member publishers of the Federal Association of German Newspaper Publishers, requirements on minimum age (18 years), duration, content of training and salary; this also includes attending part-time volunteer courses. A program traineeship for radio and television usually lasts 18 months, during which the trainees go through numerous departments. Private broadcasters offer volunteers at very different conditions.

Quotes

"It is legitimate to ask why the journalist, whose social relevance is recognized in modern mass democracy, is often allowed to occupy important positions in the media system without any prior training."

- Media lawyer Reinhart Ricker : Freedom and task of the press. Freiburg 1983, p. 62

“(In the journalism studies) journalists are bred to believe that they have to explain life to the rest of the world. They can hardly talk to a greengrocer themselves. "

- Journalist Helmut Markwort : quoted from Stefan Hupka and others: Under pressure . Reinbek 1986, p. 11

Literature (selection)

Textbook series

Publications before 2000

  • Günter Kieslich : The young journalists in the Federal Republic of Germany. A research report. Data on volunteer training in the daily press. Processing: Eckart Klaus Roloff . Bund-Verlag, Cologne 1974, ISBN 3-7663-0080-6 .
  • Jörg Aufermann, Ernst Elitz (Ed.): Training paths to journalism. Inventories, criticism and alternatives in journalist training. Westdeutscher Verlag, Opladen 1975, ISBN 3-531-21259-1 .
  • Andreas Johannes Wiesand: Journalists' Report Job Situation - Mobility - Journalistic Diversity. Volker Spiess, Berlin 1977, ISBN 3-920889-48-7 .
  • Walter Hömberg (Ed.): Training for journalists. Models, experiences, analyzes. Ölschläger, Munich 1978, ISBN 3-88295-004-8 .
  • Georg Würtlein: journalist. Sheets on professional studies. Volume 2, 7th edition. published by the Federal Employment Agency. 1980, DNB 811053520 .
  • Volker Schulze (ed.): Paths to journalism. (BDZV series of publications, issue 17). 3. Edition. 1986, DNB 944503292 .
  • Lothar Manhart: Radio and television professions with training paths. TR-Verlagsunion, Munich 1986, ISBN 3-8058-1878-5 .
  • Stefan Hupka et al: Under pressure. Become a journalist - but how? Rowohlt, Reinbek 1986, ISBN 3-499-15625-3 .
  • Ulrich P. Schäfer, Thomas Schiller, Georg Schütte (eds.): Journalism in theory and practice. Contributions to university journalism training. Festschrift for Kurt Koszyk . UVK, Konstanz 1999, ISBN 3-89669-268-2 .

Publications after 2000

  • Bernd Blöbaum : Between editing and reflection. The integration of theory and practice in journalism training. Lit, Münster 2000, ISBN 3-8258-4886-8 .
  • Klaus-Dieter Altmeppen, Walter Hömberg (Hrsg.): Journalist training for a changed media world. Diagnoses, institutions, projects. Westdeutscher Verlag, Wiesbaden 2002, ISBN 3-531-13637-2 .
  • Walter Hömberg, Renate Hackel-de Latour: Study Guide Journalism, Media, Communication. 3. Edition. UVK, Konstanz 2005, ISBN 3-8252-2711-1 .
  • Lothar Hausmann et al: We have to experiment more. Journalist training between science and practice. QuaMedia, Dortmund 2008, ISBN 978-3-931981-99-0 .
  • Marcus Bösch et al. (Ed.): Kill Your Darlings. Journalist Training Manual. Lit, Berlin et al. 2012, ISBN 978-3-643-11895-0 .
  • Beatrice Dernbach, Wiebke Loosen (Ed.): Didactics of journalism. Concepts, methods and examples from journalist training. VS / Springer, Wiesbaden 2012, ISBN 978-3-531-17460-0 .
  • Wolf Schneider , Paul-Josef Raue: The new handbook of journalism and online journalism. Rowohlt, Reinbek 2012, ISBN 978-3-499-62825-2 .
  • Jan Philipp Burgard, Moritz-Marco Schröder (ed.): Paths to the dream job of journalism. Solibro, Münster 2012, ISBN 978-3-932-927-15-7 .
  • Gabriele Hooffacker , Klaus Meier : La Roche's introduction to practical journalism: With a detailed description of all training paths Germany · Austria · Switzerland , Springer VS, Wiesbaden 2017, ISBN 978-3-658-16657-1 (= journalistic practice )
  • Wolfgang Streitbürger: Basic terms for journalist training. Theory, Practice and Techne as professional techniques. Springer VS, Wiesbaden 2014, ISBN 978-3-658-03560-0 . (At the same time phil. Diss. TU Dortmund)

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Dietz Schwiesau: "If you don't always want to get better, you lose ..." Journalistic training yesterday and today. In: Journalismus lehren (2009), pp. 53–58, online , accessed on April 4, 2015.
  2. ↑ Tobias Eberwein and Horst Pöttker : Journalism and the public. A profession and its social mission; Festschrift for Horst Pöttker. 1st edition Wiesbaden: VS, Verl. Für Sozialwiss., 2010, p. 285
  3. ↑ FAZ: “Only 30 percent with a permanent position”. In: FAZ.net . May 1, 2013, accessed October 13, 2018 .
  4. ↑ German Association of Journalists: Become a journalist? Training courses and career opportunities in journalism. Series of publications No. 11, Bonn 1988/89, p. 59.
  5. ^ Website with more information on La Roche's Introduction to Practical Journalism

Web links and sources