Journalistic Education: Conceptualization and Media Competences

The paper considers tendencies of journalistic education development in higher education institutions under conditions of journalist profession transformation caused by increasing influence of social and technology factors. Based on the comparative analysis of reorganization process of leading Russian and German centers of higher professional educations of journalists conclusions of blurring professional journalistic education subject definiteness, technocratization, which aggravates contradictions between forms and content of teaching process, and overvaluation of multimedia factor, which often replaces classification universality with, are drawn. The paper’s authors consider the change of base model of professional education focused on traditional competences in the area of media works creation the principal direction of overcoming negative trends in institutional training of journalists. A new competence-based model should reflect principal changes of journalistic working conditions: increase in information scope requiring for processing; increase in operational efficiency; transformation of technological cycle of media production and media convergence; appearance of new interactive opportunities of interaction with audience and means of journalist’s communication skills realization. In order to be successful on the media market the modern journalist should know ever-changing information legislation and be able to apply corresponding knowledge in practice; to master defense skills against aggressive media influence, media violence and manipulations and initiation of communication in interactive environment; to properly perceive and understand the reality around and consequently create media texts adapted to the needs and capacities of different publics. The essential condition for competence-based model of students’ training is stability of educational process ideology based on acknowledgement of journalist’s high social and occupational status. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n3s3p10