On May 29, five journalists, each with different stories, participated in a panel discussion in the Media Center addressing the following question:  ‘Is journalism dead”?

Journalism and TV Production students attended the gathering, which began with each journalist explaining how they got to where they are and why journalism is not dead.

“Journalism will never be dead, newspapers are selling more than ever and doing better than they have done in years. There is journalism and reporting everywhere you go,” says Michael Del Moro, a booking producer at MSNBC.

The event started off with freelance journalist Sydney Shaw, who is a 2013 Wayne Hills alum. Shaw began writing in English and Journalism teacher Donna Del Moro’s class and continued her career in journalism at TCNJ, soon becoming editor in chief there. Shaw also participated in television and radio broadcasting for TCNJ. She has written for The Bergan Record, and currently, Shaw is copywriting for a medical communications company and continues her freelance journalism on the side with her boyfriend. Shaw stated, “Journalism is everywhere and can never be dead.”

Thereafter, Michael Del Moro explained that he started off writing for the school’s newspaper little by little. His first internship was at the White House in facilities. Later, he started working at Good Morning America as a booking producer. Five years later, Michael decided to switch over to MSNBC, be he is still a booking producer. Booking producers contact guests to arrange appearances on shows and provide source material for news.

Michele Lampariello, another former Wayne Hills student, used to write for the Patriot Press as well. She had a passion for journalism and decided to continue that path at TCNJ. Now, Lampariello is an a rising junior and was promoted to editor in chief for the weekly newspaper The Signal. “We need journalism more now than ever ,” Michele Lampariello stated.

As for Hannah Holland, she feels that “Journalism is the best career path to ever take: there is so much to it that it can never be dead”. Hannah Holland worked for her high school’s newspaper and continued on with her career as a segment producer at Bloomberg. Hannah listed some of the challenges all journalists can relate to. “Challenges on the job include a lack of sleep or credibility, and mistakes do happen. But it is all worth it 100% of the time.”

Lastly, Matt Galo, a former student of WH who graduated in 2006. He joined TV class and film production and continued his career path in communications at Quinnipiac University. Galo has worked with Late Night with Conan O’Brien, interned at Fox News, and has been on Saturday Night Live and the Today show. His first gig in news was working on Fox and Friends on Fox News. Matt Galo currently works at NBC as a page programer. Galo feels strongly about journalism and states, “These days anything is possible, journalism will never die out because there is so much you can do with it.”

All 5 journalists agreed with Galo on that point.