Journalism is becoming a "dangerous" profession with low pay at entry

Here’s a telling op-ed on p A23 of the New York Times, Wednesday, “Journalism: It’s a Tough Assignment”, by Hector Tobar, link here. Online, it’s called “Who’d Be a Journalist?”

Newspaper jobs are down 10% and may well pay a minimum wage.  Even local television reporters in some markets start at $18000 a year.



The work can be dangerous.  The op-ed talks about the shootings of three television reporters near Roanoke, VA, as well as reporting in Mexico.

It also is exacting as to fact-checking, spelling names, and getting stories in on time without mistakes. Foster Winans had covered these points well in his 1988 book “Trading Secrets” by St. Martin’s Press.