Ed. note: Loss in journalists and cuts to journalism are cause for concern, as reporting is necessary for people to be informed about what is happening in our government and society.
January 12, 2023 – Danielle Smith, Public News Service (PA)
A report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and Workforce found the number of journalism jobs will continue to decline over the next decade.
It says more than one-third of journalism jobs will be lost by 2031.
The survey found job losses for journalists are the result of decades of decline, primarily due to newspaper downsizing and closures.
Bernie Ankney, dean of the School of Communication at Point Park University, said the newspaper industry has been struggling for over 30 years because advertising that once supported a daily newspaper has gone away.
He added that it’s time for educational institutions to shift as the industry is changing.
“Newspapers aren’t giving raises,” said Ankney. “The size of staff is shrinking some. It doesn’t mean there’s not tremendous value in journalism education. It’s just the industry has changed. And colleges and universities have had to change to address that.”
The survey found employment by newspaper publishers has fallen 63%. But employment has increased up to six times what is once was in internet publishing, broadcasting, and online search portals.
Ankney said the university has pivoted and now offers a curriculum that prepares students to work in five different areas of the journalism profession: radio, television, newspapers, multimedia, and photojournalism.
“But it also prepares you for related fields,” said Ankney. “You might decide I want to go into Public Relations, advertising or social media. If you do our digital journalism track prepares you for that. You may decide you want to work for a website, we prepare you for that.”
The survey also says journalists are not highly paid, depending on the market.
But Ankney added that there are still good opportunities at newspapers and magazines if students learn how to do multimedia reporting such as writing and editing audio and video.
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