So we've done a lot of complaining (after all, that's what this blog is for and what journalists do best) about what's wrong with the industry and how it's lost it's way. But what about when journalism is done right?
A couple of years ago, The Wall Street Journal did an expose on options backdating at major companies, where executives awarded themselves options, then dated them to when the stock was trading at or near lows. (The whole point of options is that they are granted on a date, and from then onward the exec has an incentive for the stock to go up, so that the options are "in the money.")
Well the practice was identified at more than one hundred companies and many investigations were begun by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department. However, most companies settled the charges "without admitting or denying wrongdoing". And while the money often had to be returned or paid in settlement, in many cases the companies shouldered as much if not more of the burden than the execs. Even those that stepped down in the wake of the scandal did so with the help of their golden parachutes. The Journal lists only one criminal trial as a result of options backdating. And then there is Steve Jobs, whom the government did not want to tangle with since he's the most popular CEO in America, father of the iPhone and iPod.
Behold the power of journalism.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Denzel Made the Right Call
I remember reading once that the undeniably dreamy Denzel Washington considered a career in journalism before becoming an actor. And while I wish, for the sake of some eye candy in a perennially mutant-strewn profession, that he had stuck with it, I think it's safe to say he made the right choice.
I bring this up because more often than not journalism reminds me of acting, in how ridiculous it is. Hollywood is one of the most vain, nepotistic and cruel industries in the world, and journalism isn't far behind.
For example, people often mock aspiring actors, telling them that they're wasting their time chasing after bit parts trying to make it big. But people should really be directing this advice toward journalists. Because while in Hollywood you can break through and start making millions of dollars, that's never going to happen in journalism, yet people still suffer through incredibly sought-after and low-paying jobs in the industry.
Sure there are a few journalists making millions, but the vast majority (even for men, these days) is based on looks (Maria Bartolomeo, Matt Lauer) or who you know, and often once these journalists take the anchor chair, they delegate all the actual journalism to underlings. (You don't see Christiana Amanpour with her own show, since she's still out in the field, doing actual reporting. And while Anderson Cooper may be pointed to as a rare exception, it helps to remember that anyone who is fantastically independently wealthy can succeed in nearly any passion they indulge.) Even when someone does rise to the top on merit, they can get caught up in their new fame and abandon the ethics that got them there (I'm talking to you, Dan Rather).
But of course those are the stars, while the rest of us are down in the trenches, fighting with one another for low-paying, soul-crushing overnight shifts, many of us without even the hope of rising to the six- or seven-figure top.
Clearly show business is the better option. And you don't need to pay for four years of college to chase your dreams in Hollywood. You just need to be able to face rejection, low pay, fierce competition and cynicism as well as a journalist, with the hope of a better payout.
I bring this up because more often than not journalism reminds me of acting, in how ridiculous it is. Hollywood is one of the most vain, nepotistic and cruel industries in the world, and journalism isn't far behind.
For example, people often mock aspiring actors, telling them that they're wasting their time chasing after bit parts trying to make it big. But people should really be directing this advice toward journalists. Because while in Hollywood you can break through and start making millions of dollars, that's never going to happen in journalism, yet people still suffer through incredibly sought-after and low-paying jobs in the industry.
Sure there are a few journalists making millions, but the vast majority (even for men, these days) is based on looks (Maria Bartolomeo, Matt Lauer) or who you know, and often once these journalists take the anchor chair, they delegate all the actual journalism to underlings. (You don't see Christiana Amanpour with her own show, since she's still out in the field, doing actual reporting. And while Anderson Cooper may be pointed to as a rare exception, it helps to remember that anyone who is fantastically independently wealthy can succeed in nearly any passion they indulge.) Even when someone does rise to the top on merit, they can get caught up in their new fame and abandon the ethics that got them there (I'm talking to you, Dan Rather).
But of course those are the stars, while the rest of us are down in the trenches, fighting with one another for low-paying, soul-crushing overnight shifts, many of us without even the hope of rising to the six- or seven-figure top.
Clearly show business is the better option. And you don't need to pay for four years of college to chase your dreams in Hollywood. You just need to be able to face rejection, low pay, fierce competition and cynicism as well as a journalist, with the hope of a better payout.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Anyone Can Write and Edit
I’ve been giving a meager amount of power at my job: Hiring the new part-time copy editor is all me. (OK, the person still has to be approved by the EIC, but it’s something.) Now I see why hiring someone takes so long. About 1 of every 5 people is actually qualified to interview for the job.
One of the applicants writes in her cover letter that she has no editorial experience. Another woman’s previous experience was working at two different Denny’s. I just don’t understand why people with no skills are applying to these jobs when there are about a million communications grads who want them. You don’t see me at the corner diner trying to pick up a late shift waitressing. I know I can’t carry a huge tray and be polite to customers, so I don’t try to get those jobs.
This brings me to a huge pet peeve of mine. It seems everyone in life thinks they can write. Whenever someone asks what I do, and I say, “journalism,” that person almost always tells me that he or she has always wanted to write, too. Sometimes a book, sometimes short stories, but they all want to write. This doesn’t happen in any other profession. I don’t go up to surgeons and say, “Oh yes, I have always wanted to perform an appendectomy. I didn’t attend medical school or have any training whatsoever, but it has always been an interest of mine.”
Take my dentist. When he found out my profession, he immediately showed me his column in the local newspaper and declared that we were both writers. I clean my cat’s teeth. Does that make us both dentists?
One of the applicants writes in her cover letter that she has no editorial experience. Another woman’s previous experience was working at two different Denny’s. I just don’t understand why people with no skills are applying to these jobs when there are about a million communications grads who want them. You don’t see me at the corner diner trying to pick up a late shift waitressing. I know I can’t carry a huge tray and be polite to customers, so I don’t try to get those jobs.
This brings me to a huge pet peeve of mine. It seems everyone in life thinks they can write. Whenever someone asks what I do, and I say, “journalism,” that person almost always tells me that he or she has always wanted to write, too. Sometimes a book, sometimes short stories, but they all want to write. This doesn’t happen in any other profession. I don’t go up to surgeons and say, “Oh yes, I have always wanted to perform an appendectomy. I didn’t attend medical school or have any training whatsoever, but it has always been an interest of mine.”
Take my dentist. When he found out my profession, he immediately showed me his column in the local newspaper and declared that we were both writers. I clean my cat’s teeth. Does that make us both dentists?
Journalism is a major?
The only possible career move that seems left is for me to go on the lecture circuit to as many high schools and colleges as possible, warning people not to make journalism their major.
Why? Because it is completely pointless. The most you want to do is make it a minor.
Say you want to be a financial, medical or political writer. The best thing you can do is major in one of those areas, and minor in journalism and do a few internships on the side (that is until you realize that there is no money in journalism, at which point you can drop the minor and make good living actually working in finance, medicine or politics). And if you want to be a music or travel journalist -- see my previous post about how if you ever want to get there you will have to work for years and years at jobs for no money that you'd be lucky to get, and eventually work your way up to making the same amount of money as the store manager at Home Depot.
Unfortunately, no one came to my school and warned me about this, so I was a journalism major. Hence, I have no other skills to fall back on, no area of expertise to parlay my way into a viable career.
Why? Because it is completely pointless. The most you want to do is make it a minor.
Say you want to be a financial, medical or political writer. The best thing you can do is major in one of those areas, and minor in journalism and do a few internships on the side (that is until you realize that there is no money in journalism, at which point you can drop the minor and make good living actually working in finance, medicine or politics). And if you want to be a music or travel journalist -- see my previous post about how if you ever want to get there you will have to work for years and years at jobs for no money that you'd be lucky to get, and eventually work your way up to making the same amount of money as the store manager at Home Depot.
Unfortunately, no one came to my school and warned me about this, so I was a journalism major. Hence, I have no other skills to fall back on, no area of expertise to parlay my way into a viable career.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
The Beginning of the End
While working in journalism is depressing, finding a job is even more so. This is because of the unique factors of the industry that come together to create a vortex of suck.
First of all, nearly every important journalistic company is headquartered in New York, one of the world's most expensive cities. But once you move there for the opportunities, don't expect them to pay you a living wage.
That's because journalism jobs never, ever carry a salary range. Instead of naming the sad amount that they are wiling to pay, companies instead prefer to put the onus on the jobseeker, requiring a salary range in the cover letter, or letting the topic slide all together. And since salary ranges can start anywhere from $22,000 a year, you might get through three rounds of interviews with a company before realizing that they're willing to pay you less per hour than you made when you worked as a cashier at Home Depot one summer.
Of course to get to that point, you have to have someone call you back, which is nearly impossible. Despite having an impeccable college record, a job with one of the world's most well-known newspapers, clips that were published online and in print on four continents, 99% of my resumes go out without so much as a whisper in return.
Of course, this has a lot to do that media companies are notorious for posting jobs that they never actually intend to fill, getting your hopes up that an interesting job that you're actually qualified for exists, when in fact the posting was only put up to be taken down two weeks later and reposted next month.
But most of the time even applying for a job is an insult. Many jobs will require up to three years experience, yet still list clerical and administrative duties in the job description. What other field can you work for three years, and only then be qualified to get someone coffee and answer the phone?
And while you think you may be working toward a dream job by slogging through your current one, you're probably drifting farther away. That's because all the interesting jobs that people get into journalism for -- music reviewer, travel writer, arts editor -- all require years of experience in that field. So while you might take a boring business reporting job or copy-editing assignment hoping that you'll work your way up, you never will. The industry is so specialized today that it's almost impossible to move around. Fall into political reporting by accident and you're stuck there unless you're willing to start all the way at the bottom again with the fresh college graduates. And if you stick to your guns and miraculously find a job in the journalism field you want, the jobs are so scarce and coveted, employers can lower the already pathetic salary and benefits available.
Still, come back in five years and I may be pining for the days when dozens of nonexistent jobs were posted, interspersed with a few genuine openings for anyone with 3 years experience willing to work the night shift for $22k and make coffee and Kinkos runs. Print journalism is dying, television journalism is a 24/7 parody of itself and online journalism is slowly melting into blogs, vlogs and other peripheral, trendier outlets.
In conclusion, looking for a job in journalism, much like shopping for your own tombstone or researching cancer treatments, is one of the most depressing activities in the universe. Every job you see will fall into one of the following categories: 1. fake 2. with pay under $25,000 3. requires experience, clips and computer skills, yet still puts you half a step above a receptionist 4. is awesome, but requires so many years of specialized experience that they are nearly impossible to land, and if you do, you will find out that it still only pays what you would be making if you had stuck it out at the Home Depot all those years ago and became store manager.
Hope you never planned to retire, have a savings account or buy a house.
First of all, nearly every important journalistic company is headquartered in New York, one of the world's most expensive cities. But once you move there for the opportunities, don't expect them to pay you a living wage.
That's because journalism jobs never, ever carry a salary range. Instead of naming the sad amount that they are wiling to pay, companies instead prefer to put the onus on the jobseeker, requiring a salary range in the cover letter, or letting the topic slide all together. And since salary ranges can start anywhere from $22,000 a year, you might get through three rounds of interviews with a company before realizing that they're willing to pay you less per hour than you made when you worked as a cashier at Home Depot one summer.
Of course to get to that point, you have to have someone call you back, which is nearly impossible. Despite having an impeccable college record, a job with one of the world's most well-known newspapers, clips that were published online and in print on four continents, 99% of my resumes go out without so much as a whisper in return.
Of course, this has a lot to do that media companies are notorious for posting jobs that they never actually intend to fill, getting your hopes up that an interesting job that you're actually qualified for exists, when in fact the posting was only put up to be taken down two weeks later and reposted next month.
But most of the time even applying for a job is an insult. Many jobs will require up to three years experience, yet still list clerical and administrative duties in the job description. What other field can you work for three years, and only then be qualified to get someone coffee and answer the phone?
And while you think you may be working toward a dream job by slogging through your current one, you're probably drifting farther away. That's because all the interesting jobs that people get into journalism for -- music reviewer, travel writer, arts editor -- all require years of experience in that field. So while you might take a boring business reporting job or copy-editing assignment hoping that you'll work your way up, you never will. The industry is so specialized today that it's almost impossible to move around. Fall into political reporting by accident and you're stuck there unless you're willing to start all the way at the bottom again with the fresh college graduates. And if you stick to your guns and miraculously find a job in the journalism field you want, the jobs are so scarce and coveted, employers can lower the already pathetic salary and benefits available.
Still, come back in five years and I may be pining for the days when dozens of nonexistent jobs were posted, interspersed with a few genuine openings for anyone with 3 years experience willing to work the night shift for $22k and make coffee and Kinkos runs. Print journalism is dying, television journalism is a 24/7 parody of itself and online journalism is slowly melting into blogs, vlogs and other peripheral, trendier outlets.
In conclusion, looking for a job in journalism, much like shopping for your own tombstone or researching cancer treatments, is one of the most depressing activities in the universe. Every job you see will fall into one of the following categories: 1. fake 2. with pay under $25,000 3. requires experience, clips and computer skills, yet still puts you half a step above a receptionist 4. is awesome, but requires so many years of specialized experience that they are nearly impossible to land, and if you do, you will find out that it still only pays what you would be making if you had stuck it out at the Home Depot all those years ago and became store manager.
Hope you never planned to retire, have a savings account or buy a house.
Journalism Broke My Heart
2003 was probably the last time I loved journalism.
The late nights at the school newspaper, editing an article for local and AP style, writing a feature story – those things rocked my world (in a good way).
But anymore, I could take them or leave them. I just want to go home and watch TV.
I’m not quite sure why my passion ended. Maybe the low salary, the annoying schedule and the lack of jobs were factors. But the sick thing of all is that I am employed as a professional journalist, make decent money and work a fairly normal schedule, so it’s got to be more than that. If I had to try and put my finger on it, I would think it was just the cold reality of the industry. Print is being phased out, fewer and fewer people are needed at news organizations as companies scale back their budgets, celebrity magazines have taken hold of a core of readership (yeah, I read that junk, too, but I don’t need five publications telling me the exact same news in the exact same way) and television hammers the news into your head 24/7.
There won’t be a return to simpler print times, I’m certain. But maybe there will be a return to ethical reporting and editing. Until then, we’ll be complaining about the irritations of the industry.
The late nights at the school newspaper, editing an article for local and AP style, writing a feature story – those things rocked my world (in a good way).
But anymore, I could take them or leave them. I just want to go home and watch TV.
I’m not quite sure why my passion ended. Maybe the low salary, the annoying schedule and the lack of jobs were factors. But the sick thing of all is that I am employed as a professional journalist, make decent money and work a fairly normal schedule, so it’s got to be more than that. If I had to try and put my finger on it, I would think it was just the cold reality of the industry. Print is being phased out, fewer and fewer people are needed at news organizations as companies scale back their budgets, celebrity magazines have taken hold of a core of readership (yeah, I read that junk, too, but I don’t need five publications telling me the exact same news in the exact same way) and television hammers the news into your head 24/7.
There won’t be a return to simpler print times, I’m certain. But maybe there will be a return to ethical reporting and editing. Until then, we’ll be complaining about the irritations of the industry.
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