I also have a master's degree in online journalism. Parents absolutely do issue these threats, or commands, or guidelines, whatever form they take. Not all parents do this, but many do.
I find that implicit and explicit parental (along with family, cultural, socioeconomic) expectations have profound impact on students, especially if there is an expectation of going to college on the parental dime, but the money isn't the only thing. The desire to please is strong and it's tough to break free.
I've had would-be pre-med students sobbing in my office following three failed attempts at chemistry because they are supposed to be doctors regardless of whether they want to be or have the skills to be. Another girl's mom insisted she be an actuary - a math-based profession - although she couldn't pass pre-cal and wanted to be a museum curator but said it wasn't allowed.
Especially now with the economic news the way it is and journalism in such a weird place, I bet there are many parents and families not thrilled when students declare it. I have no easy answers and have a lot of mixed feelings about my graduate program, but I don't regret doing it for a minute. I learned so much. Communication skills are underrated in most majors, and majors and career often are mutually exclusive. What you major in and what you do on a daily basis for a job are two very different things. Finally, career choice is up there with choice of life partner/domestic situation in terms of its importance to quality of life and it's amazing to me that so many people pick it because someone else told them it was a good idea. I understand why it happens, it just makes fundamentally very little sense.
Laurie