Monday, September 21, 2009

Journalism jobs evaporating fast!

While some applaud the trend that has the mainstream media taking in much less revenue, and losing their influence, the people losing their jobs can't be entirely happy about it. Maybe you shouldn't be so happy about it, either.

Editor & Publisher supplies some perspective:
Unity's 2009 Layoff Tracker Report shows an average 22% increase from month to month in journalism jobs lost from September 2008 through August 2009. The general economy lost jobs at an average monthly pace of about 8% during that time, according to Unity.
Click here to read the article.

Most of those disappearing jobs are in print journalism. Which leaves some of us who have labored as inky wretches wondering who will cover the complicated stories. In the future, who will do investigative journalism?

Is part of the reason political discourse in America has gotten to be so rude and attack-oriented that the people/voters no longer understand issues below the surface? Isn't that part of why too many people today only know slogans and personalities? How much does this trend stem from the fact that newspapers no longer have the staffs or the space to cover complicated stories in depth?

Blogs can be worthwhile. But, other than to offer opinions, are independent bloggers with no budget to travel or work at it full time really ever going to be able to cover global economic/political news with any competence?

Where is the growing hatred and distrust of the withering mainstream media taking us?

3 comments:

Shaun Kenney said...

Difficult to fight back when the WaPo and others go for the tabloid option rather than the old school, investigative, tough-but-fair option.

Doesn't help when PR hacks are mercilessly pounding the media for tough journalism either.

I can't help but think that a combination of weeklies -- which are growing -- bloggers who contribute, and just enough advertising to print and keep some crack journalists on board will ultimately become the wave of the future.

Sort of like the UK Economist, only down home.

F.T. Rea said...

Shaun, the coming of more newsy print weeklies is surely a part of the future of journalism. Nothing wrong with that.

But in most cases they won't have the budget to back in-depth, on-the-scene reportage in a way to replace what dailies used to do.

Presently, I don't see what will fill that void.

vishnuprasath said...

There are lots of jobs in Gurgaon and Plenty of companies are hiring fresher and experienced professionals So rush to grab your job.