Most European journalists still love their jobs, optimistic about future

Posted by Liz Webber on September 17, 2009 at 4:30 PM

Despite all the changes affecting the news industry and its recent struggles, Europe's journalists remain upbeat. Over 80 percent are as happy or happier with their jobs, according to the 2009 European Digital Journalism Survey. And just 32 percent think their newspaper or TV or radio station is at risk of becoming extinct.

However, not all participating nationalities agreed on these and other questions. An alarming three quarters of UK journalists fear for the future of their news outlets, while two thirds foresee a significant decline in the number of print publications. This doom and gloom attitude could have something to do with a recent prediction by Enders Media that half of the UK's national and regional papers will disappear within five years.

Oriella PR Network carried out the digital journalism survey, polling 354 journalists in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK. Many of the survey's questions focused on how news outlets have coped with the question of online content. For example, 43 percent of respondents asserted that 60 percent or more of their work was done exclusively for the web.

On the other hand, organizations have been slow to train their reporters in Internet skills. Two thirds had received no formal instruction on producing online content. While 47 percent claimed to create videos as part of their jobs, only one in nine had been trained in how to present to a camera.

Another 46 percent of respondents now blog as part of their jobs. That digital trend often doesn't leave the office, however, since only 13.5 percent admitted to keeping a personal blog. Perhaps because of anxiety about traditional media, reporters in the UK have been quick to adapt to new platforms. Seventy percent of UK publications use Twitter, compared to 40 percent in the Netherlands, 27 percent in France and just 12 percent in Spain.

As news organizations try to keep up with online advances amid ongoing cutbacks, many journalists are being asked to do more with less. Forty percent of those surveyed must produce more content now than before, and 28 percent complain of working longer hours.

Overall, reporters see the effect of the Internet on journalism as a whole as neutral or positive. Forty percent of all respondents think the quality of journalism has improved with the rise of the Internet, compared to 20 percent who believe the quality has declined. Reporters from France and Spain are even more optimistic with 60 percent stating the caliber of journalism has gotten better.

Although many of the results of this survey reflect a positive viewpoint on the part of journalists, it is important to remember media and their audiences don't always see eye to eye on the news industry. A recent survey by the American Press Institute revealed a serious discrepancy in attitudes toward paid online content. Whereas 75 percent of newspapers believe readers would return to using their print publication if online news was no longer available, a mere 30 percent of media consumers said the same.

Nevertheless, it is encouraging that European journalists have not let the industry's hardships dampen their enthusiasm for the work that they do. Even though there is probably some room for improvement when it comes to teaching reporters digital skills on the job, j-schools have already started adapting to this trend. It is likely that more and more journalists will be asked to produce content for the web, so it is critical that they are prepared to do so.

Source: Guardian, Journalism.co.uk via European Journalism Centre