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

[Shoeless Joe]

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.

 

[peacer84]

Are there really people here who have let themselves be bullied by their employer like that? Who have actually had money spent for a vacation go to waste (without reimbursement) because they were not allowed to take it?

It has to be true. Absolutely no one on this site is prone to whiny exaggeration.

Or sarcasm.

 

[doctorquant]

Most workers at shirt newspaper jobs never have to worry about losing vacation deposits, plane tickets, etc etc. because they don't make enough money for that shirt anyway.

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.

 

[slotman1]

@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 "fork 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.

 

[Bamadog]

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.

 

[Dick Whitman]

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?

 

[Michael_ Gee]

The huge excess labor supply for this job which creates low pay, poor working conditions, etc. indicates that deck 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.

 

[doctorquant]

The huge excess labor supply for this job which creates low pay, poor working conditions, etc. indicates that deck 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.

This ... all of this.

 

[Versatile]

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?

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.

 

[Dick Whitman]

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?

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.

Exactly. The methodology is dumb.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Go to law school.

Do that very gingerly, though.

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

 

[Second Thoughts]

It's very hard to work a second job because usually your shirt reporting job that pays you $18,000 for a (theoretical) 40 hours work is really more like 60, plus those additional hours come at all kinds of crazy-ass hours, limiting the time available to work your second job.

But, if your paper goes off the floor at 1:30 a.m., you can usually get to Tim Horton's to work the 2 a.m.-11 a.m. morning shift at the drive through.

Then back to work all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 4 p.m. for the night shift at the paper.

Unless there is a noontime meeting or something they want you to cover too.

Best post on this thread and definitely hits the spot. The hours are just bad enough to screw up any chances of landing an outside gig.

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.