The bad news just keep coming.
Now it's a little closer to home.
In the latest round of the journalist shakedown,
NPR has announced this it is laying off 7 percent of its workforce. Earlier this week,
there was news that the New York Times Co. was contemplating selling its assets. And just a week after the Tribune Co., filed for bankruptcy, American Media, Inc., which owns the National Enquirer tabloid, was trying to pay off a $21 million debt.
It hasn't been better for newsmagazines. Newsweek is mulling over whether to drop its guaranteed circulation by 1 million. This summer, its competitor, Time, dropped its guaranteed circulation by 750,000.
Last week was even worse for the media industry.
NBC laid off 500 or 3 percent of its workforce while Viacom which owns CBS, MTV, VH1 and BET laid off 850, 7 percent, of its workers.
During this same time, McClatchy put the award-winning Miami Herald up for sale.
I'm scared. My goal has always been to work for the mainstream press.
But the mainstream press is dwindling. I better stay put.
But where are all these journalists going to go? What are they going to do?
Write books? Go online? Start blogs?
I know. Let's all go join the staffs of the ever-popular growing industry of the "judge" show. Court room shows seem to be immune to the recession and sagging economy. In fact, Judge Judy takes home a cool $38 million a year and has just signed another contract to stay in place until 2012.
$38 million? Hmmn, I could work with that.
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4 comments:
Very good points. I think we're all scared. We don't know where the industry is going to end up. All of our mediums are in jeopardy. But we have a chance to help shape the industry for the future. Newspapers and newsmagazines need new business models, that's for sure. I read a story this week about a newspaper publisher saying online ad sales are a 'flop', but over 80 percent of their content is only open to paying newspaper subscribers. Ad sales aren't a flop, you just have to be open to trying new things and be creative. There is no good formula yet but that doesn't mean what can try new things. In my opinion we all need to think more like John Bell. We need to pay attention to the influencers. We're not only going to need to be great journalists but great at the technical aspect and marketing gurus. However, we all already know that or we wouldn't be in the IJ program. But just so you know, I would work for 'Judge Lottie' anytime.
LOL !
Thanks Melanie. You're hired ! (as opposed to you're fired :)
Melanie -- to me, your comments are perfect. This is exactly the POV I'd like you all to consider: Use this time in school to learn, store up digital skills and become newsroom leaders, whatever the newsroom of the future will be. Lottie, it is OK to sit still. I am glad you're sitting still with us ...
Amy
A year ago, I too was frightened about where the industry is headed and whether or not I'd have work a year from now. But, I'm not worried anymore. I'm excited about new media and all of the possibilities it offers. And here's one thing I know for sure -- the education you are getting puts you in charge of your future. Embrace new media and your new skills. It's fun. It's stimulating and it's not where the industry is heading -- it's there already. I knew when I went back to work on Dec. 15, after a 2-week vacation, that I was ready to move on from mainstream media. Yes, it's only two classes down, but it's enough for me to know that I really, realy want to have a future in new media. I've already started networking internally and I have let it be known to all who will listen -- "this is what I am going to do." To my surprise, the bosses are really impressed by my initiative. They should be -- and so should yours. They're going to need us.
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