Abstract
Based on interviews with 15 newsroom interns, this article examines aspiring journalists’ experiences with their mandatory internship and how the findings relate to wider journalism education and training in Central Asia. This study contributes to scholarship on this aspect of Asian journalism by expanding knowledge about why journalism becomes no more appealing for aspiring journalists once they land in professional settings. This study took place in Kazakhstan where there was a recent public call to close all journalism programs because they are perceived to fail to prepare qualified professionals and because no single media outlet fully meets professional standards [IREX 2019. Media Sustainability Index: Development of Sustainable Independent Media in Europe and Eurasia. Washington, DC: IREX]. Kazakhstan universities expect news outlets to provide their students with practical experiences, while media outlets expect to receive ready-to-work interns. In this context, aspiring journalists receive little or no professional mentorship, and that has serious negative practical implications for the profession and for democratization efforts in the region. Citing the lack of a “near-real world” internship experience, the majority of interviewed students plan to switch to other professions. The study discusses the findings in relation to symbolic interaction theory and implications for the profession and journalism education.