Would you encourage a career in journalism?

[surrey321]

To think a young person embarking on a career in ‘magazine’ journalism, is a bit short sighted? Aren’t they all closing/ journalists at risk from ai

My friend is a very successful journalist, winning awards frequently. She absolutely loves her job. But the money is absolutely shit. She has almost always been freelance and has no pension to speak of.

The internet and subsequent plunge in paper sales has really done for journalism. No one wants to pay to read anymore or even pay for skilled people to write as citizen journalists do it for free. Now AI is making things worse.

No i’d not encourage a young person into journalism.

Digital news journalist here. It’s a challenging industry but I love my job. One day I’m talking to an expert volcanologist, the next day covering a murder, the next a neighbours at war story. It has changed a lot and the industry has shrunk but I’ve clung on because it’s so varied and I love the adrenaline.

once I’m ready to jump ship I’ll have my pick of highly paid communications jobs. It’s not all bad!

BTW re low wages - as a senior journalist I earn roughly what my teacher DH earns. Not a fortune but we are comfortable.

This is sad. The death of ye olde journalism is the death of information and communication, and ultimately the death of democracy.

Further nearly all careers are areas are like this, nearly all have professionals saying not to encourage youngsters into it. One sector after another being killed by computers.

I really wouldn’t bank on having your pick of highly paid comms jobs in this economy. Comms professionals who have only ever done comms and have 20 years experience are struggling to find roles.

My DS is doing an MA is sports journalism with an undergrad in history. I'm not convinced he'll get the success he wants and deserves - but I think there are still jobs and opportunities in sports broadcasting and writing...

His writing is genuinely very very good so I wouldn't want him not to at least try. But I am more than sure he is due a lot of knockbacks.

As a senior journalist i earn a six-figure salary, but i started 35 years ago. Today’s teenagers and uni students have far greater challenges to achieving that salary in middle age, from AI and overseas outsourcing to fragmentation of the audience. It’s a real long shot now.

Get credentialed in a professional role, and then try to break into journalism by virtue of expertise.

Comms / marketing/ PR jobs for ex journalists aren’t what they used to be, either. Don’t go by the past 40-50 years. Look at today’s reality.

I regularly get offers for these types of roles. Will eventually take one when I’m jaded enough!