SIP warns of disconnection between universities and the actual practice of journalism

Punta Cana. – The president of the Press Freedom and Information Commission of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), Martha Citlalin Ramos Sosa, warned about the growing disconnection between universities and the professional practice of journalism, a gap that, she said, threatens the training of new generations committed to truth and freedom of expression.

In the framework of the 81st General Assembly of the SIP, Ramos Sosa pointed out that universities have "detached themselves a lot from the profession", and that many students lack a real understanding of the demanding nature of the job.

“This is a profession that absorbs your whole life (…) Most of those who aspire to be journalists still have no idea of the work and commitment that it implies,” he expressed.

The director of the Mexican Editorial Organization (OEM) also explained that, although the SIP maintains an active alliance with the Latin American Council for Accreditation of Education in Journalism and Communication (CLAEP) to strengthen teaching and ethics in communication, a gap persists between academic theory and daily practice in newsrooms.

Ramos Sosa called for building "a new pact" between universities and media outlets, where practicing reporters participate in practical training and academic institutions contribute from communication theory and research.

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"So, we have to make a new pact to professionalize new reporters; participate ourselves from the street, from the experience of journalism and involve universities from the theory of communication," he said.

The SIP representative emphasized that the preparation of future journalists is an urgent task in an era marked by misinformation, digital immediacy, and the erosion of ethical commitment.