'Journalism one of the most exclusive middle class professions of the 21st century'

A new report commissioned by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, due out to tomorrow, identifies how journalism has become one of the most exclusive middle-class professions of the 21st century, according to Patrick Wintour in the Guardian today.
The all-party report called Unleashing Aspirations, written by 20 experts and chaired by former cabinet minister Alan Milburn, has examined barriers to the professions.
Wintour says the report describes internships as "the new excluding rung on the career ladder" and demands a rethink about "qualification inflation", which has seen some careers such as nursing demand university degrees.
NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear in a letter to the Guardian today argues that widespread unpaid work experience in the media means: "Only those with the financial security of well-off families or a willingness to build up massive debts can get into careers in journalism." (see posting below).