The State of the Media

The biggest challenge facing a young journalist today is finding a job. It seems everyday we hear about how another news organization is making job cuts. From one the biggest/greatest papers in the nation, The New York Times, to some of the smallest, it seems to me that there is no stopping the convergence of media leading to fewer and fewer media jobs.

I am seriously thinking of switching my career aspirations as I find out there are less and less jobs out there for students. I know there are cheap jobs out there but I plan on going back home to New York City and I know there is no way that I can live on a journalist's salary in Manhattan.

Students who want to succeed in journalism have always have had to accept a "journalist's salary" but it seems more and more unlivable with the state of our economy and the rise of online media taking away more "conventional" broadcast and print jobs.

Hopefully an economic upturn and an increase in students who are online savvy will save jobs. Unfortunately blogging has become a problem even for the new jobs created in the online world. I mean, I know I am personally addicted to several celebrity blog websites including the popular PerezHilton.com. These stories are not always correct and they don't always have proper attribution but, I find myself telling my friends about what is on these sites more than what is on the BBC--mostly because they just don't care.

I am rambling. I just hope that students who sincerely have a passion for the industry are able to continue to find jobs and change the world with their voices bringing the news from all over the world to readers/viewers.

Nikki Haber is a student at the University of Southern California majoring in broadcast journalism with a minor in film. She enjoys her Blackberry, London, sports(yay soccer and basketball!) and watching Arrested Development. She is horrible at grammar. Nikki is originally from New York City.