As newsroom jobs shrink, some journalism schools teach students to go solo - Poynter

"There's a growing market of creators who are switching to Substack and growing a business out of it. So I thought, 'Why not do the same?' This reflects how contemporary journalists leverage independent platforms to build sustainable careers by identifying underserved audiences and monetizing through direct reader support rather than relying on traditional media employment."

"Schools are starting to recognize that their students are going to graduate into a very different media landscape than the one the curriculum was built for. There's genuine momentum here. More schools are adding - or thinking about adding - creator-focused tracks, electives or at least weaving in entrepreneurial journalism concepts."

Nicole Abriam launched Kultura, a newsletter covering Filipino American culture, from a startup journalism course assignment at The New School in 2021. The project evolved from classroom work into a capstone project and now operates as a monetized professional venture through subscriptions. Abriam plans to develop it into a social enterprise within five years. Her trajectory reflects a broader institutional shift, as journalism schools recognize graduates enter a fundamentally different media environment than traditional curricula address. Educational institutions increasingly adopt creator-focused tracks, electives, and entrepreneurial journalism concepts to remain relevant. This curriculum evolution responds to industry realities where independent publishing platforms like Substack enable journalists to build sustainable businesses outside traditional media structures.

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