USC Annenberg School of Journalism Interim Director Michael Parks and Professor Robert Hernandez were featured in a Coca-Cola Journey article about the evolution of journalism schools.

“Twelve years ago, someone might have wanted to become a newspaper reporter,” said Parks. “Now, we teach them digital journalism skills as well, like how to shoot, edit and create a TV package. We don’t expect anyone to become a one-person band, but you need to be conversant because today’s news rooms are multi-faceted operations.”

Wallis Annenberg Hall, slated to open in the fall, was mentioned as an example of journalism schools building new facilities to accommodate emerging technology. Hernandez mentioned his experimentation at with new technology, such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Google Glass, as a way to tell stories.

“My interest is getting ahead of the curve and defining how best we can use them to create good journalism,” said Hernandez.

He added that USC Annenberg students now gain a lot of experience outside of the classroom.

“We are working journalists who just happen to be students,” said Hernandez. “We no longer have to wait for the newspaper. We can publish things in real time. That empowers the students and creates fantastic opportunities for them.”

“We might now be entering a Golden Age of journalism because there are so many opportunities ahead of us,” Parks added.