Do online journalists need web design skills?

As part of my undergraduate degree in Journalism at Lincoln University and now my online masters at UCLan I have been using Dreamweaver and Photoshop. But as an online journalist, do I need to possess these web design skills?

My argument is all for it, but then again I enjoy being a geek when it comes to learning to use technical software. When it comes to Photoshop, it is essential for every online journalist to be able to at least crop an image for use on the web. The debate with Dreamweaver I fear will be much more diverse (See this post at the Student Journalism Blog at the Press Gazette).

Firstly, knowing what the capabilities are with producing content specifically for the web, it is easier to realistically visualise what can be done technically in order to produce the most effective content. For example, with an understanding of layout and Dreamweaver design a journalist can produce their story knowing where the text story will appear and how other features can be best positioned on the page.

Secondly, why deny someone who wants to work within the online media the chance of improving their technical expertise? I feel my skills with Dreamweaver and my improving Flash skills will be vital to my thinking as an online journalist, specifically in environments where there is encouragement of thinking outside the box. Surely an online journalism course needs to equip students with the knowledge of how the online world works. We are of course the geeky journalists.

I’m currently in the process of designing and writing content for an assignment and the need for me to make the site myself on Dreamweaver enables me to think about the possibilities of how the content can be presented. Most free content management systems are rigid and give little chance to present news and information. Dreamweaver is not all about HTML.

Surely being given the chance to explore web design is only going to be beneficial to budding online journalists and our potential employers. No matter what people say against the teaching of Dreamweaver, I’ll continue to further my technical skills.

Ok, Rant over – I feel better for that.