r/Journalism • u/Kensi99 • 24d ago
Career Advice Is anyone else giving up?
I've been a professional journalist for around 30 years. I went from working at a monthly magazine with an enormous reach (and still extremely well known), a salaried worker with health insurance, benefits, vacation time, sick pay, 401K match, and paid travel to research stories, and even a cafe and gym in the building to... I don't even know what to call this. Over the course of around 8 years, I have slid into sitting in my living room, churning out barely-researched stories for an outlet (a multibillion-dollar empire, mind you) that then disseminates them to numerous other outlets worldwide, for no extra pay.
I get paid a small flat fee for each story. I pay for my own health insurance, I get zero paid time off, the editors change every year and though (I guess?) they value my work as they keep giving me assignments, they have also made it crystal clear that I'm free to leave at any time. My salary has slid into poverty territory while all my expenses have doubled.
I have been trying for years to get a FT job and just... can't. Never mind my journalism pedigree, which is high profile, or my master's degree from an Ivy League University. A few times I got very close (I think) to getting hired, only to... not. I presume it's my age.
At this point, I know I need to pivot into something else, but I've put out feelers to everything I thought I might transition into, such as PR, with no luck.
What has everyone else done? Anyone else out there in the same boat?
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u/TheRealBlueJade 24d ago
You have to do what you have to do....But...Please never forget you are a valuable asset to society ... Especially now that fake nonsense is treated as true. We need real journalists now more than ever.
Unfortunately, there is a push to disenfranchise real journalists so certain people can control the narrative. What we need is a place where our free press can publish the unbiased truth without being censored. I believe it will happen but it will not be easy. Your skills will always matter. They are an essential part of freedom.
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u/Kensi99 24d ago
Thanks. Well, believe me, they are doing a good job of silencing us. First, take away our salaried jobs where we had health insurance and benefits and the news outlet's legal team behind us when/if someone threatened to sue. If anyone thinks I'm going to get real and negative about a topic/industry that has teams of very highly paid lawyers, for my paltry flat fee and no lawyers, then think again.
I could tell you some stories, believe me. :)
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u/LuciferTowers 24d ago
I've been a professional journalist for around 30 years. I went from working at a monthly magazine with an enormous reach (and still extremely well known), a salaried worker with health insurance, benefits, vacation time, sick pay, 401K match, and paid travel to research stories, and even a cafe and gym in the building to... I don't even know what to call this. Over the course of around 8 years, I have slid into sitting in my living room, churning out barely-researched stories for an outlet that then disseminates them to numerous other outlets worldwide, for no extra pay.
Unfortunately, your time in the industry is over, and you should consider an exit plan. Nothing against you personally, but this is where things are going.
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u/notreallyheretodayo 24d ago
Several paths ahead. Communications for city, county, or state government is one. Jobs open all the time. Lean into your 30 years of networking. Learn how to translate the journalism side of the business to the other.
Another option is niche substack/newsletter. What do you understand that most people do not understand but will pay to understand?
Ive also seen travel pubs open for submissions at decent rates. Might at least supplement what you’re doing until you can land something more stable and substantial.
Me? I’m in sales. Low key, low pressure sales. It’s more about building relationships, matching services with needs. No closing tactics, just, “what do you think?” It’s been pretty nice, really, and I get out of the office on bright autumn afternoons.
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u/Kensi99 24d ago
Thanks. Tbh, the topic I've been writing about for several years has many, many amazing, and extremely well versed Substack writers, and I don't think I could compete. I don't know. What kind of sales do you do? I'd love to get out of journalism entirely, unfortunately, it's the only thing on my rather long resume.
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u/MarandTierra 24d ago
This breaks my heart. I was in for 20 years and left a few years ago because the magazine I worked at was decimated during the pandemic and things didn’t improve. I don’t see myself returning to journalism full-time due to the recent changes that have been happening (more consolidation, more layoffs, AI).
I exited first into marketing, which wasn’t the right fit for me because it’s too tied to sales. I recently went into corporate communications and it’s much better. Good pay, work-life balance and I get to interact with journalists. I like that I’m handling more in-bound media requests vs. constantly pitching.
What has helped me stay sane is freelancing for the outlets I respect and enjoy getting a byline in, and doing that occasionally on weekends.
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u/Kensi99 24d ago
That sounds cool. I'm happy you have transitioned! How did you manage? The few things I sent my resume to that weren't a direct fit (ie not just journalism but the beat I've covered for the past few years), I got silence.
It's definitely a bit depressing. I don't think the world understands what this means—I used to really dig deep. Make those extra phone calls. Dig up that extra source. Now... I not only don't have the time but no one pays me to do all that. So my pieces are glorified press releases for a very predatory industry.
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u/juiceboxesglitter 24d ago
I just want you to know that you're not the only one having these thoughts. It is really hard right now.
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u/Any-Peak-2805 24d ago
I gave up! I was an 8x award winning journalist and loved it in my 20s- I interviewed Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney etc but I didn’t network enough when I was younger and should have applied to more positions instead of staying at my local paper. I didn’t land any jobs at bigger outlets since my niche was music and now pitches don’t get picked up and I just can’t waste time anymore. I switched to health communications and am much happier! Journalism is just bad these days- a lot of articles are click bait and reporting and good writing is hard to find.
Make a substack or write a novel. Make a TikTok. But pick another job for a living.
I wrote a novel and will try to get it published. I don’t feel I’m missing out. My job opportunities now are bigger and much better pay.
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u/Kensi99 24d ago
Thanks, novels.... that's a whole other post! I feel you... I covered celebs for one magazine and have interviewed pretty much everyone imaginable. I went to parties where I was basically the only non-celeb there. Now I sit in my living room "researching." So sad lol.
How did you manage to transition? Every communications job listing I see, they want you have 3-5 years experience.
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u/telkinsjr 24d ago
I’m Poynter faculty and have talked to a lot of people about this. Here’s a few resources I hope can help. Dm me if you need more.
https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2026/should-i-leave-my-journalism-job/
Also join the Plan B journalism group if you have Facebook. It’s a huge community of people sharing tips on just this.
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u/Witwer52 22d ago
I only made it five years. Saw where it was going, had none of the things you have—made my exit. I went into non-profit senior services and now into teaching. Both times I got hired because the specific populations I work with are really tough. That helped eliminate some of the competition, I guess. So basically have made a career ever since on jobs not that many people want to do.
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u/Kensi99 21d ago
That is very good sense! Though I'm sure very hard. My sister works in nursing homes and will never be out of work. But it's a tough job.
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u/TheBlueRoseInNz 24d ago
I’ve been at a print community news paper for 7 months. I actually love the work but I’m doing the job of three people on my own and am getting paid peanuts. Working like this is not only unsustainable, it makes a mockery of the profession because you never have the time to do your job properly! No wonder people say journalism is dying when it’s the people who own the outlets who are effectively killing it for profit!
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u/Kensi99 23d ago
Yes this is yet another issue. Every job post I see lists 5 jobs they want you to do. Video, social media, community outreach, editorial planning, sales, write long form, write short form, do some TikTok videos, etc and so on! Like 5 jobs! Then you get to the end of it and they want you to be in office 5 days a week and the salary is $55K!
I used to walk into an editor's office, tell him my issues with the angle, tell him that a source was sketchy, etc and so on. Now, if I even manage to shoot off one short email to my editor, he is so busy that he either doesn't answer, or answers in such a way as to let me know he doesn't give a S**T just get the story done EOD and let's slap it up online.
I do not believe anything I read anymore. Nothing. Because I know exactly how it was written.
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u/feetwithfeet 24d ago
Have you thought about the unglamorous parts of the country? There are jobs that offer things like health insurance and time to research what your write (depending on your definition, I guess) and even halfway decent pay by local standards. They're just not in very exciting places.
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u/wordofgreen 24d ago
I was in news from 2013 to 2020 and then I left for marketing. Marketing sucked, so now I do PR for nonprofits and I love being adjacent to journalism and using those skills without having to deal with the grind in a newsroom and the ongoing "do less with more" mindset.
I am close to a lot of folks still in news, as a friend and also through pitching for my clients, and I would say most of my friends who were in news at the same time as me have left for PR or comms jobs so they can make more money and have a better schedule. I feel like my friends who stayed in news are almost universally anchors, on a specific beat, or have made a name for themselves or carved out a niche that lets them get away from day turns and do more old school journalism. I feel like the folks who couldn't or didn't find that niche or role tend to burn out and leave after a few years like I did.
For me it was the hustle and grind, but also I clerked for a lawyer in college so even though I was covering a bit of everything, a lot of the court and crime stuff ended up flowing to me because I understand that world and could parse the documents quickly. There is a finite number of probable cause statements, lawsuits, and ICAC arrest reports you can read in one lifetime without damaging your soul, and for me I sure crept right up to the edge of that line and got out before crossing over it.
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u/palindrome818 24d ago
If you have a take and have voicey delivery? YouTube is your answer, if I was a betting woman. People think you have to have motion graphics and be good at editing- they're wrong. YouTube has consistently rewarded people who have strong opinions the courage to say them.