the wallet v the talent

rich media and poor journalists...

Aside from the fact that they offer the public one of the mosty important freedoms they are entitled to in a modern democracy- the freedom of press, journalists are consistently viewed at the lower end of the foodchain- left untrusted and scrutinised by those that consume their work so readily.

It is disturbing that such a significant profession could be judged by 3/4 of people (representative on a global scale) deem journalists as untrustworthy.

How are journalists coping; faring against the unfair assumptions of a critical public and the new and frightening trend of major cost cutting by their publishers.

As this 2007 report suggests- the issues with media ownership and the struggle that journalists face everyday in their workplace is beginning to take its toll and affect (yes, you guessed it) the quality of what they produce.
Stephen Cushion details 5 key points of contension for Journalists presently-

1. insecurity of employment leading to timid reporting
2. employment changes prompting a decline in critical and investigative reporting
3. Media concentration and governement pressures leading to bland news
4. media have been tamed by goverments
5. low wages trigger to a decline in ethical reporting.
   

If we put these 5 points into the Australian media landscape, it is a frightening future ahead of us. Already journalists are challenged by the complex ownership laws and lack of diversity plaguing the countries media. How can they be expected to continue in this manner- while massive job cuts continue within the industry and less emphasis is put on the quality and further emphasis placed onto quantity?

In a recent study- it was revelaed that the 2001 median salary for journalists was US$43, 588. Salaries are increasing at a far slower rate than inclation adn females working within the industry are still being paid approximately $10,000 less than males.
In the United Kingdom one in ten journalists was earning less that £12,000, with 18 % earning less than £15,000 anually.
The median income for a journalist in the UK is a meagre £22,500.
For the responsibilities laid upon them, this seems a less than ideal scenario.

And it is interesting to also feature- that in a time of economic crisis, when the public are going to become more and more focused on the quality reporting of journalists that this would be the case. Consumers will only become more reliant and expectant of the truth from the media, yet these expectations come on the back of a larger workload, a massive decrease in quality conditions and the public perception of them being untrustworhty regardless.

Is anyone feeling a little bit defeated?

Stephen Cushions entire article is available here.