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Topic: I'm sick of journalism
| Author | Message |
| citychick | Posted – 11/29/2007 10:41:08 PM | show profile I'm worn out by journalism, too I agree and disagree with everything everyone has said. So far, these have been pretty typical arguments for and against the profession. I've been in journalism for about 5 years (out of college), 10 if you count college, which I tend to do. I write for magazines and I have several friends who feel the same way I do. I think the truth of the matter is, we got into mag journalism hoping to write pieces that mattered, not about the next best thing to buy. We, unfortunately, pursued the lifestyle mags that rarely write about anything worth any weight, which proliferate in the area where I'm from (the South). Even trade magazines just seem to be telling us to sell things. Now we're just trying to figure out where to go from here, and how to get the experience with something that does seem to matter. I have been somewhat fortunate to land a job at a business magazine that requires a certain amount of analytical skill. I'm relearning/remembering things I learned in the first two years of j-school. The mag targets CEOs. The problem with many magazines is that they can only afford to target the rich, and the people who wish they were, because they need/want the ad dollars, so a lot of the good reporting doesn't get written. I could go on, but that's most of my plight. I also wish I had majored in something more useful, maybe a generic MBA? That seems to be the standard now... |
| Bleak Spouse | Posted – 11/30/2007 8:43:17 AM | show profile katestarrr: If something is amiss, what would be the point? Why would someone pretend to be something other than what they are by posting a complaint about how journalism pays shit salaries? It's the crime of the century and WE MUST GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| UGoGirl | Posted – 11/30/2007 9:54:03 AM | show profile Here's something to think about (and I'm probably being a bit fatalistic here at the moment). The world is changing before our very eyes. The next 50 years will not proceed as the past 50 years has. You are not going to get rich, and many of those who think they are rich (other than the truly incredibly wealthy) will have that taken away from them. See if you can find something useful and productive to do with your life, other than pushing papers around. And here I'm talking basic skills for survival... grow food, take care of people, teach people, etc. etc. Just my two cents. |
| inkblot | Posted – 11/30/2007 9:16:32 PM | show profile I'm sick of the naivete No offense VeronicaJ42, but I bet you are the biggest complainer on the reporting staff. Coupla things. It's a myth that journalism is cutthroat. If you prove yourself and are dedicated and know what you want, you'll get where you want to go in the career. The other thing, decide now or in a year or so if you want to stay in journalism. If you do, prepare to move around a lot to give yourself raises -- moving from one paper to the next is how you go from getting paid in the low 20's to earning in the low 30's in a few years. Also check out trade magazine work; it pays more than average. Or you can do what my cousin did. After graduating with a Radio/Television/Film degree from a top-10 university, he immediately ditched his plans to be a broadcast reporter when he saw the starting salary. He's making a fortune selling insurance. |
| jkdscribe | Posted – 12/1/2007 2:59:03 PM | show profile I'm sure Veronica doesn't want to come off as a whiner. After all, she decided to take her frustration out on an anonymous message board--and let's face it, this is clearly an issue that has caught some attention! I can definitely see where she's coming from as I'm in a similar boat. I don't think it's JUST the being burnt out, but also the shock of learning that what you hoped for doesn't really exist. As someone earlier said, those of us who especially wanted to get into magazines are not writing the stories we thought we'd be, the kinds we spent so much time reading in school. It's just disappointing is all, and sure there's time when you're young to change plans, but it is tough when you've spent a lot of time and money (yes, not all of us are so entitled to get it all for free) working toward something you feel passionately about, only to find out it doesn't really exist. Or at least not in the way you imagined. Yes, yes, grow up, deal with reality... That's what this thread is all about. Doesn't mean it's easy after a lot of time and effort. |
| UGoGirl | Posted – 12/1/2007 7:05:59 PM | show profile It's hard to give up on a dream. I've had to do that a few times in my life. But if a person can be flexible and persevere, I think many new dreams can be created. |
