The need for lifelong education is urged in the context of constant social transformations, unprecedented challenges, total digitalization of communicative transactions, virtualization of many types of professional activity. Journalism is one of the most sensitive to transformational challenges. Therefore, a journalist must respond objectively, flexibly, tolerantly, adequately, professionally, responsibly and social transformations and challenges to the current realities. To do this, he/she must be prepared for lifelong learning. It is the journalist's readiness for lifelong learning that is an indicator of the quality of his/her specialized education. The research aimed to empirically establish the skills of journalists related to lifelong learning, and to develop a programme for the implementation of the lifelong learning principles in the professional training of journalists. General scientific methods, surveys of research respondents, qualitative and quantitative analysis of the obtained data, modelling are the methods used. A model of modern journalist training in the context of lifelong learning was formed, a program for the implementation of lifelong learning principles in specialized education of journalists was developed. The results of the research can be used for the development of individual trainings, seminars, compilation of collections of didactic tools for the formation of the ability of modern journalists to education throughout life. Prospects for further research in this area are: experimental testing of our proposed program for the implementation of the principles of lifelong learning in the training of journalists; development of diagnostic tools to establish the levels of readiness of journalism students and practicing journalists for lifelong learning.