Journalism is a curious profession: you are taught how to write, but your knowledge of any other field is high school level at best, and that is what you write.

Journalism is a curious profession: you are taught how to write, but your knowledge of any other field is high school level at best, and that is what you write. You demonstrate a high school-level knowledge of journalism. What you describe are "generalist" reporters. They are necessary, and ubiquitous. But there are also very many specialist reporters, who have specific knowledge of the areas in which they write. The guy who reports at the Pentagon is not the same person who writes car crash stories. You also presume that once someone gets a journalism degree, that's all the education they have or ever will have. Many (most?) journalists have multiple degrees. They also engage in continuing university-level education, either on their own, or paid for by their employer. Also, experience is a great teacher. Do you today know only exactly the same about of computer skills you had when you graduated from high school 20 years ago? No. Just like a journalist learns over time from experience and furthering his education.