Communications majors in Mississippi will enjoy a robust employment outlook: the state’s labor department projects a 14.5% growth in job opportunities for Media and Communication Workers between 2008 and 2018. In addition, communications majors will find their skills useful not only in traditional media roles, but in the state’s key healthcare, government, and educational sectors. In 2011, Businessweek ranked the Jackson area one of the strongest U.S metro economies in the country, thanks in part to the relatively healthy job market. And while many of the state’s communications opportunities are likely to be concentrated in Jackson, bigger Mississippi cities such as Gulfport and Hattiesburg also have their own media scenes.
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.
TV and Radio Broadcasting
Mississippi communications majors with an interest in broadcast news are in luck: the state’s Department of Employment Security projects that job opportunities for Broadcast News Analysts will rise 11% between 2008 and 2018, considerably better than other states. Over 160 television stations broadcast from the Magnolia state, including the Peabody-award-winning WLBT in Jackson. The state is also home to more than 150 AM and 200 FM radio stations, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Those interested in music would be wise to learn all they can about Gospel — the Jackson area’s top radio genre, according to Arbitron.
Resources and Professional Associations for TV and Radio Broadcasting:
Mississippi Association of Broadcasters
Journalism
Mississippi newspapers reach 1.5 million readers weekly, according to the Mississippi Press Association. The outlook for journalists in Mississippi is significantly better than many other states: the state’s labor department forecasts that jobs for Reporters and Correspondents will rise almost 9% between 2008 and 2018. 22 daily and 19 Sunday newspapers serve the state, according to 2009 data from the US Census Bureau. And in addition to traditional news outlets, the state is home to a variety of online startups, such as Y’all Politics, which provides news aggregation and commentary on Mississippi politics.
Journalism Associations:
Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations
Public Relations and related industries are a growth area in Mississippi. The state’s labor department forecasts that jobs for Public Relations Managers will grow almost 18% between 2008 and 2018, while jobs for Public Relations Specialists will rise over 26% during the same period. Jobs for Marketing Managers are forecast to expand by 13% at the same time, although jobs for Advertising and Promotions Managers will grow only 3%. Many of the state’s public relations and related firms serve the region’s expanding healthcare, financial, automotive, and retail sectors, as well as the government.
PR and Advertising Firms:
- GodwinGroup
- The Guice Agency
- Bice Advertising
- Brainstorm Creative Group
- Broderick Advertising
- The Cirlot Agency, Inc.
- Eyevox
- Godwin Group
- Maggie Clark Media Services
- Maris, West & Baker
- Ramey Agency
- Hallett Group
- Cirlot Agency
- Liquid Creative
- Burns Brown Pressley & Rankin
- Gibbes Company
Professional Associations for Advertising and Public Relations Professionals:
Print Publishing
Mississippi is home to a select number of publishers, who carry on the state’s rich literary heritage. Founded over 40 years ago, the University Press of Mississippi is sponsored by eight state universities and publishes somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 titles each year in literary studies, Southern studies, history, popular culture, and more. The job outlook for Editors is healthy: the Mississippi Department of Employment Security forecasts a more than 5% rise in jobs for those who wield the red pen. Meanwhile, jobs for Writers and Authors are forecast to rise a sunny 14%.
Book Publishing Companies:
- Pecan Row Press
- Quail Ridge Press
- University Press of Mississippi
- Yoknapatawpha Press
- Crossover Publications
Book Publishing and Writing Associations and Resources: