Thinking about journalists’ thinking (Two)1

<jats:p>The first purpose of the article is to briefly highlight the global and South African relationship between society and journalism training/education. The second purpose is to take cognizance of how the changed and new media landscape has caused a so-called ‘crisis of journalism’ (meaning journalism’s loss of legitimacy and authenticity) and how this may affect journalism training. Part of this ‘crisis’, if not the essence thereof, is the almost customary and long-standing criticism against the very nature of journalism and the journalistic profession. This criticism is briefly summarized before a case is made for focusing on the intellectual development of student journalists through meta-theoretical approaches to and in journalism training and education. Such a meta-theoretical approach could place the emphasis on what makes up four of the most prominent key constructs in mass communication, namely ‘representation’, ‘dialogue’, ‘rhetoric’ and ‘meaning’. These constructs, how they relate to journalism and how they can lead to a better understanding of journalism as a human (mass) ommunication phenomenon, to a better understanding of the fundamental criticism against journalism and eventually how to deal with this criticism are briefly introduced. To illustrate the relationships between society, new media landscape, journalism and journalism training, brief case studies of the situation in South Africa are given. In terms of methodology, it should be emphasized that the article is not an empirical analysis of journalism training, but rather, a contemplative piece. As such it constitutes an opinion that in itself is debatable and hopefully will lead to further debate. The article is a continuation of the very old, and in the literature well known, if not fierce debate between skills versus theoretical (academic) training.</jats:p>