By MWANAISHA MOHAMED SULEIMAN
Second Year BA Journalism and Mass Communication Student, Chuka University
During a media lecture on current affairs, a lecturer asks a simple question: “Who read a newspaper today?” The room falls silent. A few students glance at their phones, others shuffle papers nervously. Only two hands rise, hesitantly. The moment lasts seconds, but it reveals a bigger problem: in classrooms meant to train future journalists, the habit of reading newspapers and magazines is quietly disappearing.
Social media, entertainment apps, and constant notifications have replaced thoughtful engagement with real news, leaving students reliant on headlines and trending posts rather than full stories. The reasons for this shift are many.
Social media delivers news instantly, but rarely encourages deep reading or analysis. Students skim headlines, watch short video clips, and share stories without fully understanding them. One second-year student admits, “I know I should read newspapers, but by the time I finish scrolling through feeds, I’ve already lost focus. It feels faster to get snippets online.”
Coupled with busy university schedules , lectures, assignments, and part-time work , long-form reading often feels like a luxury few can afford. Smartphones and streaming services compete heavily for attention, leaving newspapers and magazines on the margins.
The consequences extend beyond personal habits. Newspapers and magazines have long been essential training tools for journalists, teaching structure, sourcing, investigative techniques, and editorial judgment.
Without regular engagement, students risk graduating with theory but limited practical insight into reporting. A senior lecturer in communication observes, “Students can write essays on media ethics, but when asked about current events, many struggle to provide details beyond what they saw online. Reading habits are not cultivated; they are assumed.”
The lack of exposure threatens not only skills but also professional curiosity and responsibility.
Addressing this challenge requires action from both students and institutions. Universities could integrate structured news-reading programs, assign weekly newspaper analyses, or organize discussions based on current features.
Campus libraries and digital subscriptions should be more accessible, while professors encourage engagement with professional journalists’ work. Rebuilding this habit strengthens not only technical skills but also critical thinking, awareness of societal debates, and appreciation for the responsibilities journalists carry. As one final-year student reflects, “If we don’t read, how can we expect to report properly? We’d be writing without knowing.”
Reading the news may feel old-fashioned in a digital era, but its value remains essential for aspiring journalists. To report responsibly, students must first learn to observe, analyze, and understand the world around them. Cultivating the habit of reading newspapers and magazines is more than academic. It is professional, ethical, and crucial for the future of journalism in Kenya.
Universities, lecturers, and students must work together to ensure that the next generation of reporters is not only well-trained but also well-informed, bridging the gap between the classroom, the newsroom, and society at large.
Mwanaisha Mohamed Suleiman is a media and communication student with an interest in journalism and public affairs
MWINGI TIMES for timely and authoritative news.
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