Media Jobs Crisis: 'Broadcast journalists are suffering too'

A broadcast journalist sent me this email after reading my MediaGuardian piece on regional newspaper redundancies, pointing out that its not just local journalists who are suffering. He also asks are there any organisations out there that can offer any help or advice to out of work journalists


Jon
Well done for highlighting the dearth of jobs in journalism in your excellent piece in the media guardian, but its not just regional newspaper journalists that are suffering. The broadcast sector has also been badly hit -especially with ITV closing down it local news operations.
I worked in mainstream broadcasting (BBC and SKY) for 20+ years until redundancy a few years ago and have struggled to find another full time job ever since. There are simply no opportunities once you hit a certain seniority or level of experience.
Crossing over into the dark side a.k.a “getting a job in PR” is also not that easy, I have applied for many PR positions but have not been successful simply because I had no direct experience of the PR industry and the people that were hiring were not prepared to take a chance ( despite the fact that I could have done the job standing on my head) and there always seemed to be a candidate who ticked more boxes on their cv.
I have three young children to support as a single parent and it’s becoming a huge struggle and I worry whether I will ever find work as a journalist again, the rare sighting of a job opportunity is usually obscured by the hordes chasing after it !
To compound the problem once you’ve been out of work it seems a vicious circle as employers are more likely to hire someone who is currently in work with on going experience and contacts. The future does look bleak and I will vigorously dissuade my children from going anywhere near the media world as a career choice as it is so limited and uncertain. I’d sooner my son became an accountant or a banker and I never thought I’d say that !
Last week I offered an article to a local newspaper in my area and was told by the publisher they didn’t pay freelance rates anymore because they couldn’t afford it. Glibly, I asked him if he gave away advertising space for free and he said of course not. So his business model seems to be get free editorial from whatever source and to sell advertising space. As it was, I submitted my piece for free because I had already written it and I felt it was a more positive approach than just spiking it, however it did make me feel that all my years of professional expertise and experience were worthless.
Who else gives their professional services away for free ?
With so many journalists out of work is there any organization offering support and advice and help ? I could certainly do with some, or a loaded gun !"