Educating Journalists. Universal Ignoramuses or Highly-Educated Specialists?

Mass media today are an unavoidable part of life of contemporary civilization. Central to the information system of the mass media are journalists as the key “producers” of information. Their working methods have changed under pressure from state-of-the-art technological advances that have facilitated the functioning of the mass media. In the 1960s, journalists began their careers with a notepad and a pencil, and they are going to retire by using PCs, satellite communication, digital cameras, and electronic data bases. With time, journalists have become educated experts who continually broaden their knowledge and professional training. That is why permanent in-service training is a must for their future, since educated journalists are the most effective barrier to manipulations. A Croatian survey has shown that Croatian journalists are very interested in permanent education