The RTNDA news staffing survey shows these changes since January 1st, 2008:
- 22.1 % of stations increased staff
- 28.6% of stations decreased staff
- 49.4% stayed the same
Researcher Bob Papper comments:
In an era of generally increasing TV news staff, those figures are comparatively depressing. Most years, the percentage of stations with increases would be 10 percent higher, and the percentage of stations with decreases would be at least 10 percent lower. This year, there were more layoffs than additions, far more people were cut than added, and some of those layoffs involved dozens of people at one time. In a number of cases, station cuts outside of news meant that the spared newspeople had to pick up the slack.
Stations that increased staff added an averageof 2.9 people (median 2); stations that cut dropped by an average 3.8 people (median 2). Subtracting gains from losses and projecting across all stations, local TV news, nationwide,has lost about 360 people since the first of the year.There are about 24,500 people who work full-time in local TV news.
Recession aside, news directors expect the remainder of the year to be far better.
Staff Changes Expected Over the Next Few Months
- Staff Increase 17.9%
- Staff Decrease 9.1%
- Same 72.7%
While nearly three-quarters of the news directors expect no change in staff size, almost twice as many expect to add people as cut them.The industry-wide projection would be a net increase in TV newspeople of 151 through the remainder of the year.
It should be noted that these projections came before the financial meltdown of the past couple of weeks.
The full study is here.
4 comments:
I believe that the expected numbers for the rest of the year will remain the same even with the falling stock market of the past few weeks. News is something that is a vital part of both the American and world culture. It is what keeps people informed about their surroundings and things that will personally affect them.
Also, with today's enormous rise in the stock market it shows that our economy will bounce back and as this bounce back occurs, stations will be hiring new graduates to fill the needed spots.
Boy am I glad I quit my state funded, well paying job when I did.. I believe in the future of this country. I believe the economy will bounce back, but with the ever-changing world of technology and all of these "so-called" experts with no broadcasting or journalism education taking our jobs, it is a little scary being a graduating senior in 7 months....
Bruno
When in recession things tend to be so topsy-turvy it's almost unpredictable where you'll be tomorrow in your field of work.
You just have to stand on your toes and work to the best of your ability so someone else does not take your job, or, you end up losing it anyway. And if you're not one of those who lose your job... just count your lucky stars you're still there and keep on going!
-Izabel
Post a Comment