Pew research center： ten realities of American media industry
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The newsroom in America is undergoing important changes. Mergers, closures and layoffs have affected various media organizations, especially newspapers. These trends are changing the media landscape in the United States.
According to the data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau and other sources, we have prepared the following 10 charts for you to show the employment situation of newsrooms in the United States today.
Reality 1:
Between 2008 and 2019,
Employment in journalism in the United States has dropped by 23%.
In 2008, there were about 114,000 employees in American journalism, including journalists, editors, photographers and cameramen, who were distributed in newspapers, radio, television, cable television and other information services. According to the data of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2019, this number has dropped to about 88,000.
Most of the decline in the total number of employees in journalism occurred in the first half of this period. Between 2008 and 2014, the number of employees in journalism dropped to 90,000. After 2014, the number of journalists tends to be stable, with little change.
Reality 2:
Between 2008 and 2019,
The number of employees in the editorial department of American newspapers has decreased by about half.
The long-term decline in the number of employees in journalism is mainly driven by one kind of media: newspapers. From 2008 to 2019, the number of employees in newspaper editorial department decreased by 51%, from about 71,000 to 35,000.
The number of newsroom employees in the other four news production industries—television, broadcasting, cable services and digital media—remained relatively stable, even slightly increasing after 2014. From 2008 to 2014, the average number of employees of these media was stable at 43,000, and by 2019, it increased to about 53,000.
More than 9,000 jobs in the non-newspaper industry almost offset the loss of about 11,000 employees in the newspaper editorial department after 2014. However, this is far from enough to offset the total loss of about 3.6 jobs in newspapers during the whole period of 2008-2019.
The sharp decline in the number of people employed in the newspaper industry means that newspapers now account for a much smaller proportion of the total number of people employed in the news industry than in the past. In 2008, newspaper employees accounted for 62% of all news employees. By 2019, this proportion has dropped to 40%.
Reality 3:
The decline in the number of journalists in the United States,
It is the biggest blow to practitioners in the middle of their careers.
According to the US Census Bureau, between 2008 and 2018, the number of full-time news employees (aged between 35 and 54) in the middle of their careers decreased by 42%. During this period, the number of journalists aged 55 and over increased by 31%. Of course, this is not enough to offset the loss of the middle-aged career. The number of younger newsroom employees (18 to 34 years old) has remained relatively stable, and there has been no significant change in the past ten years.
Reality 4:
In recent years, layoffs have been hitting the American newspaper industry.
According to the Pew Research Center’s analysis of relevant news reports, about a quarter of American newspapers with an average circulation of more than 50,000 on Sunday experienced layoffs in 2018. Some newspapers have experienced more than one round of layoffs in a year. In the daily newspaper of layoffs in 2018, 31% experienced more than one round of layoffs. This figure was only 17% in 2017.
Although news reports don’t always provide the exact number of employees in the newsroom who were fired, we can still draw some broad conclusions from the available data: in 2018, 62% of newspapers laid off more than 10 people, exceeding 42% in 2017.
Reality 5:
In 2018,
The wave of layoffs has had an impact on medium-sized market newspapers.
Compared with newspapers with lower or higher circulation, medium-sized market newspapers (newspapers with an average circulation of 100,000 to 250,000 on Sunday) are more likely to lay off employees in 2018. 36% of medium-sized market newspapers have laid off employees, while 18% of small-sized market newspapers (with a circulation of 50,000 to 100,000) and 29% of large-sized market newspapers (more than 250,000) have laid off employees. From 2017 to 2018, the proportion of layoffs in medium-sized market newspapers increased, while the proportion of layoffs in newspapers with lower circulation and higher circulation decreased.
Reality 6:
1/5 of the employees in journalism.
Live in new york, Los Angeles or Washington, D.C..
The financial, entertainment and political capital of the United States is also the location of most news employees in the country. According to the data of the US Census Bureau from 2013 to 2017, 22% of news employees live in these cities, compared with 13% of the total working population in the United States.
New york has long been known as the "Media Capital of the World", where 12% of news employees live, accounting for the highest proportion. This ratio is more than twice that of Los Angeles (5%) and Washington, D.C. (5%). However, this data does not seem to have undergone drastic changes. According to the data of the US Census Bureau, during the period from 2005 to 2009, the proportion of journalists living in these three metropolitan areas was roughly the same (20%).
Reality 7:
Compared with the overall working population in the United States,
Journalists are more likely to work in the northeast.
About a quarter (24%) of American journalism employees work in the Northeast. Of the total working population in the United States, this proportion only accounts for 18%. The employment of online news organizations is particularly concentrated in the northeast (41%), and another 28% people live in the west.
Reality 8:
Compared with the overall working population in the United States,
Journalists are more diverse.
About three quarters (76%) of journalists are non-Hispanic white. In all occupations and industries, the overall proportion is 64%. Employees in journalism are more likely to be men (61%), and the overall proportion of workers in all industries is 53%. Taking race, nationality and gender into consideration, almost half (47%) of the employees in journalism are non-Hispanic white men, and this proportion is about one-third (34%) of the staff in all industries.
However, young journalists show greater racial, ethnic and gender diversity. About 40% (38%) of journalists aged 18 to 29 are non-Hispanic whites; Among employees aged 30 to 49, this proportion is 46%; Among employees aged 50 and above, this proportion is 56%. However, in every age group, the diversity of newsroom staff is still lower than the overall situation of various industries in the United States.
Reality 9:
A journalist with a college degree.
Earn less than other employees with college education.
Nearly 80% (79%) of journalism employees have a university degree, while less than 40% (37%) of the total working population in the United States have graduated. However, compared with employees with university degrees in other industries, journalists with university degrees earn less. The average annual salary of the former is $61,000, while the latter is only $52,000.
Reality 10:
A journalist with a college degree.
More likely to get a degree in arts and humanities.
About 3/4(77%) college-educated journalism employees have obtained undergraduate degrees in arts and humanities, while only 23% of the total working population in the United States.
About 30% of college-educated journalists have a degree in journalism. Other common de majors include communication (13%), English language and literature (11%) and mass media (7%). About 23% of journalists with university degrees majored in subjects other than arts and humanities.
Original title: Pew Research Center: Ten Reality of American Media Industry
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