Student Journalism is the Future, Now.

If you are a news editor, reporter or anyone involved with media, it's likely you've missed one of the greatest resources you have. It's always been there and it's always been valuable. But now, now is the time to look down for guidance. Here's five reasons to visit your local college or high school journalism department.

1. Tool kit: It will not take long to figure out what tools students are interested in and which they are ignoring. Even if they do not have the latest technology in their hands, they will be quick to tell you what they would like to see. Too many are quick to assume they know what the kids are into. Go have a look. It will be enlightening.

2. News Focus: What types of stories are the students choosing to focus on? This can be very telling. Many are more interested in storytelling, than providing a stage for gossip and fear. Student journalists are often optimistic and commonly take pride in the place they report for. When is the last time you saw a local newscast that appeared "optimistic" and seemed to have "pride" for the place they reported on?

3. They Are Media Consumers: Ignore them at your own peril. They are your target market. If you do not consider them to be your target market, they will very soon be in your sweet spot. You are wasting your time being irritated with their habits(texting, social networking, etc.). Their habits are the norms of tomorrow.

4. Land of the Lost: You've lost them as consumers. You've lost many of their parents. If Mom or Dad has been telling them they don't watch the news because "...", then that is their experience. Discuss why they ignore you, and why many of their parents have dropped you.

5. Your Rules Don't Matter to Them: For students, it is not revolutionary to mix video with written reporting. It's not an award-winning concept to implement Twitter and Facebook into their news strategy. It is just how they operate. Take a look at how they operate without the constraints of what journalism "should" be.

Do you have a number six, or an issue with any of this? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading.