Along the streets and cities of the Buckeye State, residents crack open issues of the Xavier Newswire, look up the latest fashions in Thread Magazine, watch WCMO-TV on the tube, and dance to the beats of WJCU 88.7 FM ; all sure signs that communication majors in Ohio are already media moguls in their own right. Always envisioning innovation, state colleges and universities equip the future generation of publicists, journalists, designers, and broadcasters with programs in all-encompassing facets of communications like new media and communication technology, public affairs and journalism, communication technology and society, health communication and social influence, and political communication and public opinion, just to name a few. Aside from lively didactic learning, these programs offer students unparalleled access to exclusive internships with local institutions such as the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio Magazine, and KUT 90.5 FM.
Undergraduate Degrees in Communications – Choosing to earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree with a major in communications will give you the qualifications you need to start a career in mass media and digital communications. Whether you’re interested in journalism and independent filmmaking, or marketing and public relations, the know-how needed to reach people with a targeted message starts with a degree in communications.
Master’s Degrees in Communications – No matter your professional background or undergraduate major, you could earn a master’s in communications to prepare for a career in any number of diverse areas that include journalism, public relations, marketing, digital media and more.
Publishing
From independent book stores like the Athens Book Center, Visible Voices Books, and the Village Bookshop to community events such as the Spring Literary Festival, the Ohioan Book Festival, and the Ohio River Festival of Books, local literary circles are prominent fixtures in Ohio’s social landscape. Behind the scenes, publishers and publishing houses are the unsung heroes responsible for bringing area authors and works into the limelight.
For example, creative minds seeking precision in editing, writing, ghostwriting, collaborative writing, consultation, book design, and production call on Pig Iron Press in Youngstown. Meanwhile in Akron, Picture Me Press stimulates young readers with their stock of interactive children’s books. Closer to Cincinnati, digital publisher F&W Publications of Blue Ash help streamline businesses with eCommerce and eMedia capabilities.
Local Publishers
- Bottom Dog Press
- Wooster Book Company
- Drinian Press
- Gray & Company Publishers
- Orange Frazer Press
Resource for Publishing majors
Small Publishers Association of North America
Journalism
According to a report issued to the Ohio Newspaper Association by American Opinion Research in May 2011, more than four million Ohioan adults read a community or weekly published newspaper during an average week. Presently, the most widely circulated newspapers are the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Cincinnati Enquirer, and the Columbus Dispatch. While these dailies appeal to the general public, correspondents, reporters, and journalists also drive content for special interest papers like the Minority Communicator, the Catholic Telegraph, and the Columbus Senior Times.
Local City Guides
- Columbus Alive
- Cincinnati CityBeat
- Toledo City Paper
Resource for Journalism majors
TV and Radio Broadcasting
The future looks bright for aspiring TV and radio broadcasters in Ohio. In fact, the number of radio listeners throughout the state grew by more than 1.9 million from 2010 to 2012, according to research by Arbitron, a national media and marketing research firm. The airway artisans of radio broadcasting in Ohio bring local flavor to Hip Hop station 98.1 WKDD in Akron, Top-40 station Kiss FM 92.5 in Toledo, and Rock station 102.7 WEBN in Cincinnati. Careers in TV broadcasting appear similarly promising. The National Association of Broadcasters reports that 54,490 jobs in Ohio rely on the local television industry. Everyday viewers are tuning into stations like PBS on WPTO TV 14 in Oxford, NBC on WDTN TV 2 in Dayton, and Fox on WJW TV 8 in Cleveland to support their broadcasting community.
Local TV and Radio Broadcasting Companies
- Regent Communications
- RadiOhio
- E.W. Scripps Company
- Radio Seaway
- Block Communications
- Raycom Media
Resource for Broadcasting majors
Ohio Association of Broadcasters
Public Relations and Marketing
According to Northeast Ohio Communications Advocates (NOCA), marketing communications is a huge industry in the state’s greater Cleveland-Akron region alone, boasting 44,611 employees, 3,034 businesses, and $2.0 billion in annual payroll distribution. Yet, all metropolitan areas in the state are stomping grounds for local public relations and marketing firms.
Rick Mower & Associates in Cincinnati update public imaging for surrounding travel, technology, energy, and graphic communications industries. In Dayton, the Ohio Tourism Division, the Lifeline of Ohio, and the Ohio Business Development Coalition run to Fahlgren Mortine for advertising, public relations and digital marketing expertise. For marketing and crisis communications upgrades, heavy-hitters like the Toledo Zoo and Toledo Public Schools consult the FLS Marketing Group in Toledo.
Cleveland Firms
- Falls Communications
- Jayne & Company, LLC
- Fleishman-Hillard Int’l Communications
- Roop & Co.
- Stevens Strategic Communications
Resources for Public Relations & Marketing majors