Backpack Journalists

Chelsea Williams
It was quite an adventure to read about my potential future career as a "backpack journalist." I first heard the term mentioned last semester when a friend of mine, who is also in Convergence, explained the concept to me. It was news to me then, but now I am much more comfortable with the idea. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of this evolutionary movement in Journalism while it is still in its early stages. It was both refreshing and informative to read two reporters' specific accounts of their experiences in convergence. While I experience some concern that some places lean towards backpack journalists simply to cut costs, I have reached the conclusion that I am okay with being "that person," because it means that I possess the knowledge not only to report and write a story, but to record, film, design, load... and whatever other cool things I learn through my experiences at Mizzou and in the outside world. This will indeed make me a jack of all trades, according to Martha Stone, but if I work really hard, a master of something!