I’m starting to see a pattern.
And it is a trend that most have us have seen before but what I’m encountering is different than at least what I’ve become accustomed to in this business of news.
I’m seeing people leave in numbers more significant than even I am comfortable with; they are not going to other stations and not taking on different roles in coverage. They’re leaving the business altogether, and while that is not unusual for industry veterans, this is not who I’m talking about.
What’s capturing my attention is the rising number of twenty and thirty-somethings that are calling it quits. These are not people leaving to raise families or return to school or things like that; these are the younger generation, the next wave if you will, who are trading in their five and ten years of journalism experience for something else.
Some are going over to the public relations side, taking communications, or marketing roles, which again is a common path for journalists looking for a different setting or another challenge.
My bemusement, if you will, comes from the timing of these changes and what seems to be driving the transitions; moving so early from a career that generally requires a powerful drive, commitment, and a reasonable period of preparation.
I have been seeing a lot of this lately, as in a half dozen in half that number of months, and they’re all people I’ve worked with along one stop or another in my career, so I imagine the numbers are far more significant as I have not conducted any audits or undertaken any recent surveys.
And let us be clear, this is in no way any element of judgment or criticism. I am the firmest believer in doing what is suitable for oneself and those around us. As a guy who undertook a notable career change, I fully embrace the concept, but again my curiosity was peaked as I’m speaking of people, most of whom are roughly no more than a decade older than my kid.
Now, before you start piping up your answers to the questions I’ve been raising, there are reasons found and responses given to those lingering questions.
(It’s easier when you actually know a few of those who have made the jump so you can pick their brains and still stay on the safe side of not being intrusive.)
The most common answer I’ve been getting as to the why seems to circle around this, “It’s not what I thought it would be.”
I find that to be an answer more than fair as, frankly, most things are not. There are also many reasons why that is the case, and there are components for virtually everyone. Those queried come from markets large and small, a couple of networks, and work in the television, radio, and digital platforms.
Money was certainly a factor for some, as the concept of a living wage did not seem attainable in the small to medium markets. In the first couple of years, there generally is a salary at or below the poverty level, but the idea is you’re working and learning and will grow into the profession.
Some were not seeing that, and it became deflating even after a progression upward either within their station or by ascending to the larger market. The compensation was not there, and after ten years, the decision to leave the profession was not as hard as once thought. In radio, the money is rarely there, so when I hear of those defections to the mainstream job market, I am less surprised.
Moreover, no, “it’s not always the economy, stupid.”
I also had two conversations over the last year were what I suspected apparently rang true. The constant references and discussions about an on-air individual’s appearance and image became a gnawing issue. The search for the right hairstyle and wardrobe combinations and the proper amount of social media self-promotion suddenly took precedence over performance, story selection, and content.
Most bosses at your non-profit, PR, or consulting firm or those in a more corporate setting are not likely to harangue a member of the team about their “look.”
I’ve seen this firsthand over the years, as most everyone in TV news has, I’m sure; this is no revelation of any magnitude. I am still one of those with my eyes occasionally wide open who truly believe the news is the news, and I do not care what the storyteller is wearing, if their voice is silky smooth, or if their syntax is impeccable.
(Mine certainly isn’t)
It’s not now nor will it ever be my place to comment about these types of things, the fashion side of the business but boy, if it were…
For still others choosing to leave news coverage, there was a distinct hint of emotional honesty, the bad outweighing the good. Unless you come from a previous career background like mine, you expect to see more good people and hear more nice stories in and about the world than you’re likely to come across on the news beat. It takes a toll.
There are generally fewer victims, distraught family members, or horrific scenes at your better public relations firms, so there is that.
You can search for and present the pleasantries and good deeds in your community, but they will still rarely run before the second weather hit. The bad stuff happens with greater regularity, and it usually tops the newscast.
For still others, the erratic hours and working too many holidays and weekends add up. Factor in also the potential sense of uncertainty about job security in a rough economy, and before long, the dream occupation becomes a little too much like everybody else’s rat race.
It’s no longer an issue of “they knew what they were getting into” when they started on this path, and I don’t know that it’s anybody’s fault. In most cases, it’s probably for the best. Does management want an employee sticking around when they’re no longer engaged and likely dissatisfied?
Perhaps not, but it also might be better across the board if those same bosses were a bit more concerned and not thinking a dozen replacements for that one exiting employee were not eagerly waiting around the corner.
No matter the ultimate reasons for their departure, it’s a loss to the industry and the consumer, and it’s one I fear will perpetuate itself in the years to come. The business will not change, nor will human nature, so we all lose.
Bill Zito has devoted most of his work efforts to broadcast news since 1999. He made the career switch after serving a dozen years as a police officer on both coasts. Splitting the time between Radio and TV, he’s worked for ABC News and Fox News, News 12 New York , The Weather Channel and KIRO and KOMO in Seattle. He writes, edits and anchors for Audacy’s WTIC-AM in Hartford and lives in New England. You can find him on Twitter @BillZitoNEWS.
