Texas A&M University President M. Katherine Banks said Friday that she envisions The Battalion and a state-of-the-art journalism degree program, along with KAMU-TV and radio, all to be housed under the same roof in the proposed performing and fine arts center.
“I strongly believe in a robust journalism program, which is why I’m bringing back the degree and look forward to being the number one choice for students wanting a journalism degree,” Banks said. “With the return of the degree and The Battalion returning to a university department — combined with our new facilities and an innovative examination of the future of journalism at A&M — I believe we will elevate the profession and aid in restoring trust in the news media.”
Today President Banks modified the decision to end the print version of The Battalion in mid-February. The newspaper is published once a week during spring and fall semesters, and biweekly in the summer. After speaking with the student leadership at The Battalion, Banks said the print portion may continue through the end of the semester.
She emphasized that students should focus on the digital future of journalism. Eight out of 10 Americans get their news from a smartphone, computer or tablet, according to a Pew Research Center study.
“Times have changed and we want The Battalion and others interested in journalism as a profession to be at the forefront when they graduate,” she said.
Banks said the university will cover the Battalion’s loss of print advertising revenue.
“In many ways, we are at the start of a new and exciting era of journalism that will pull together new faculty, professionals from the industry and students to create new types of digital content. We want to give our student journalists the preparation to succeed in a rapidly changing industry,” Banks said. “While this is a difficult decision, I believe it’s the best path forward.”
