Journalists “are not Emily Dickinson writing poetry on backs of envelopes, not caring whether anybody reads them.”

Given the state of the industry, with newspaper circulations dropping and publications closing, Collinger said that part of the plan is to develop data and “customer driven communications” is integral to making sure the “cobbler’s children have shoes,” he said.

With the rise of blogging and citizen journalism, delivering news the way readers and viewers want is becoming more necessity than luxury, even for major news outlets. The Medill students interviewed seem to recognize that any change in the interest of their business IQ is a good one. —David Epstein —Sign of the Times for J-Schools (Inside Higher Ed)