Journalists losing touch with man on the street -- L.A. Times media reporter

L.A. Times ^ | Dec. 9, 02 | David Shaw

[churchillbuff]

By DAVID SHAW In an era when network anchors in tailor-made suits sign multimillion-dollar contracts, and some of their talking-head, syndicated columnist colleagues earn more from one speech than the average American earns in an entire year, it may be difficult to imagine, but journalism in this country was, until relatively recently, a largely blue-collar craft.

As recently as 1971, only 58% of newspaper journalists had college degrees; now 89% have degrees, according to the American Society of Newspaper Editors. But only 15.5% of the total population age 25 and older have finished college.

Excerpted link

[Frohickey]

How long before this thread is deleted because it quoted all of the LA Slimes article?

How long before David Shaw is out of work because of this article?

[Drango]

The typical newspaper journalist today, according to research done by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, is "a liberal,

'Nuff said.

[caisson71]

And this is NEWS????

[lelio]

As recently as 1971, only 58% of newspaper journalists had college degrees; now 89% have degrees, according to the American Society of Newspaper Editors. But only 15.5% of the total population age 25 and older have finished college.
And what what the percentage of people in 1971 age 25 and older that had college degrees? Curiously that fact is missing from here. Plus this figure includes people that are over 70 and that generation just didn't go to college like we do now.
You could have these statistics to apply to anything, probably including carpenters. I'm sure the swing in percentages is much higher in "blue collar" professions.

The median annual salary for "experienced reporters" working at newspapers with more than 250,000 daily circulation -- the 40 largest papers in the country -- was about $56,000 last year, according to a newspaper industry study. Pay for "senior reporters" -- and for top reporters and editors at the largest of these papers -- is substantially more. But median income for all U.S. workers over 15 is about $31,500.
When you get gross numbers like this $31k average salary that includes lawyers making $1M a year to the McDonalds worker making $6/hr. That's why I take these total averages for what they are worth: nothing.
But enough of that rant. Most people I know involved in the media are barely scraping by. Granted they aren't the front page writers for the NY Times.

[Imal]

As recently as 1971, only 58% of newspaper journalists had college degrees; now 89% have degrees, according to the American Society of Newspaper Editors.

Meanwhile, the average IQ of newspaper journalists has gone from 89 to 58, with 43 being the current average for television journalists.

I wonder just what the hell goes on in journalism schools. Mandatory lobotomies?

[Drango]

From the ASNE study. http://www.asne.org/kiosk/reports/97reports/journalists90s/survey19.html

Isn't it time for ideological diversity in the news room?

144. What is your political orientation?

	T	'88	F	W	B	H	AA	G
Democrat or liberal	36	34	44	35	41	39	50	64
Republican or conservative	8	11	6	8	1	2	3	3
Lean to Democrat/liberal	25	28	25	25	30	35	30	22
Lean to Republican/conservative	7	11	5	7	2	6	5	1
Independent	24	17	19	25	25	18	12	9

  

[Kay Ludlow]

When you get gross numbers like this $31k average salary that includes lawyers making $1M a year to the McDonalds worker making $6/hr.

Actually, they are using a median of 31k, not an average. Median means if you lined up all the workers in order of salary and counted in from the ends, you'd meet at 31k - half earn more, half earn less. Average tends to be more distorted by high values at the top, since it's the total salaries divided by the total workers. A few extremely high earners does make an average look high.

Most people I know involved in the media are barely scraping by.

I'm sure there are a lot more people working for smaller media - local newspapers are large in number and small in circulation. Employees at small papers earn very little. On the other hand, employees at small papers aren't expected to influence the agenda and perspective of hundreds of thousand of people. Those people they are referring to, at papers of over 250,000 circulation are expected to write articles that change a lot of people's view, and the change is supposed to be pushing to the left ;-)

[MediaMole]

I wonder just what the hell goes on in journalism schools. Mandatory lobotomies?

Pretty close, watch "A Clockwork Orange" for more details.

[Gorzaloon]

As recently as 1971, only 58% of newspaper journalists had college degrees; now 89% have been brainwashed and programmed by tenured '60's burnouts, Gay Socialists, and Greenpeace cultists, or have their FBI files in the hands of the Clintons.

[Reeses]

Moreover, most journalists try to maintain a kind of natural separation from their audience -- a professional detachment that they feel is essential to maintaining their professional standards of noninvolvement and nonpartisanship.

Wow, into the mind of a socialist. He really believes this? They can't understand the last election so they think it's because they're college educated and smarter. This article is recursively elitist.

[Mark]

Reporters-- you now have your own site to yourselves- sponsored by your universities- just a click away:
http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~kinho/youare.swf

[zook]

We got better, more even-handed news when fewer reporters had college degrees.

[ninenot]

One of the finest journalists I have ever met--and who had a GREAT deal of respect from his peers--was heavily involved in the Boy Scouts, sandlot baseball, and the (Methodist) Church. Covered the 'science' beat for the Milwaukee Journal, a prestigious position in (at that time) a prestigious newspaper.

Harry was a regular-guy person. VERY few, if any, of that ilk left these days. The current crop almost makes it a point NOT to meet 'regular people,' or (worse) find them only as topics of curiosity--a story in the paper.

Too bad.

[mrustow]

I'm disappointed; the title promised much, but the article delivered little payoff. In a time in which a college degree is so dumbed down that it has less educational -- or economic -- value than the high school degree my mother earned in 1947, having a bachelor's degree can't be the issue.

The issues, as I see them, are three:

1. "J" School: Journalism Schools function as re-education camps. Those who don't toe the line, must go. And much of the time, no J-school degree, no job.

2. The takeover of the newsroom by multicultural activists: these people harass, run off or fire anyone who does not go along with the program.

3. With few exceptions, the refusal of those conservative businessmen who hate the current regime, and who could afford to start up their own media outlets, to do so.