I'm starting to come to grips with the prospect of not finding a journalism job before May. It's so difficult right now and print is taking a big hit.
Despite my persistent checking of every job board imaginable, I've only come up with a handful of prospects – most of which are unpaid internships. I have no qualms working for free and I'm lucky to have a supportive father who will let me stay at home and pay for things if that is the case. It's tough though because many of these internships don't accept students who aren't enrolled in classes.
What is a smart, driven, talented journalism graduate to do in today's economy? I honestly do not have the answer. I'm keeping my spirits high and hoping the stars align. But I'm not expecting anything to fall in my lap.
I know it all boils down to my determination. I'm willing to go just about anywhere, although it would be difficult to leave the state where I've lived for 22 years.
The AJC announced this morning that it would be cutting its full-time news staff by 30 percent – that's 230 positions – and reducing its circulation area by 2 percent. It is the paper in Georgia and one of the largest in the Southeast, and it is struggling to stay afloat in the economy's choppy waters.
And it leaves me wondering, what's next?
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Is journalism really looking that bad? I'm a high school-level reporter in OK and it seems okay, at least on the local level. Granted, the major daily in Oklahoma City just laid off 100 or so people...
ReplyDeleteYou're right. The local level is doing well and I think that portion of print will continue to do well. It's just that even though local papers are doing well, many of them seem to be on hiring freezes right now. We had a career fair at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication about a month or so ago and almost every print company that was there (which were very few) said they were either on hiring freezes or were only offering unpaid internships (only available to students enrolled in classes). I think it will pick up, but it's just difficult right now, for me especially, with graduation looming ever closer.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment about censorship. It's really good info. I actually have a copy of the Supreme Court hearing on Tinker V. Des Moines. It's very interesting.
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