1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

WSJ survey: Newspaper reporter is worst job in U.S.

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Hey Diaz!, Apr 23, 2013.

  1. Shoeless Joe

    Shoeless Joe Active Member

    At my former paper, which is another reason I am so thankful it's former, staff having the rug pulled out from under their plans happened regularly. That's what happens when you work for a family-run place that tries to operate a daily with the staff the size of a weekly. The news department was worse than sports. There was a reason the employees at the place refer to it as "the plantation." I never personally lost out on hotel or airfare or the like, but on a number of occasions I either ate or had to sell off at the last minute tickets to events.

    This place has operated without a managing editor for two and a half years and without a full-time professional news photographer for the last year and a half. Glad it's no longer my mess.
     
  2. peacer84

    peacer84 Member

    Or sarcasm.
     
  3. doctorquant

    doctorquant Well-Known Member

    I was kinda prone to that interpretation myself. I don't think I ever fully paid for a vacation when I was in the newspaper biz ... I was young and single, mind you ... mostly I glommed a week at the beach when my parents did one of their annual trips.
     
  4. slotman1

    slotman1 New Member

    @dog eat dog world: I've wondered the same thing myself. In more than 40 years in the industry, I've never seen a worse operation, top to bottom, than CNHI. But they somehow escape any continuing scrutiny from the national trade press even after things like the infamous Christmas "fuck you" furlough. CNHI's unrelenting gutting of once-good papers in the name of financing the retirement of Alabama teachers is unconscionable, and deserves far more coverage than it gets. Maybe somebody needs to start a CNHI Watch blog like the one for Gannett.
     
  5. Bamadog

    Bamadog Well-Known Member

    Low pay, long, weird hours, good chance of being laid off. Sign me up!

    I'm not surprised. But an actuary as a top job? If only I had math skills.
     
  6. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    I just don't see it. I get that it's the pay, hours, and lack of job security that earns it this ranking. But the job itself is phenomenal. That should count for something, no?
     
  7. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    The huge excess labor supply for this job which creates low pay, poor working conditions, etc. indicates that Dick is right and it has a tremendous intrinsic appeal to a considerable number of people. I was one. Many in the job have that beaten out of them, but the appeal exists nonetheless.
     
  8. doctorquant

    doctorquant Well-Known Member

    This ... all of this.
     
  9. Versatile

    Versatile Active Member

    The five criteria used for this survey: physical demands, work environment, income, stress, and hiring outlook.

    The only of those newspaper reporter does well in is physical demands. Self actualization is not one of the categories.

    These comparisons are stupid.
     
  10. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    Exactly. The methodology is dumb.
     
  11. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    Do that very gingerly, though.

    Something like only 50 percent of recently minted JDs will ever work as lawyers. Yikes.
     
  12. Second Thoughts

    Second Thoughts Active Member

    Tried a second job once about 5 or 6 years ago With the hours and varying schedule for my beat, it had to be something late at night, only 3 or 4 times a week depending. Ended up taking an 11-7 shift as night desk manager at a hotel. Not bad. But sleep was the problem. I remember an old saying "ever TRY to go to sleep?" That was my problem. Would get off regular job in early evening. Eat dinner with the wife and have little down time, then try to take like a 2 or 3 hour nap. Would get maybe an hour at best. Then up all night, maybe an hour or two in the morning before coming to regular job. Regular sleep screwed up. I lasted like 3 months. Wasn't much money. Then again, we haven't had raises here in years, so making less still than I was then.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page