Why being an unemployed journalist is the best thing to ever happen to me
Monday, July 13, 2009
When I was first told that I was being laid off from my journalism job back in December, I was devastated. I thought because of my rare technical skills and demonstrated passion for the job that there was no way I would ever be fired, even though I saw the mass layoffs that were happening all around me. It was a further blow to my ego when I realized that months later I was still unemployed along with thousands of other journalists.
The gravity of the situation brought on a whole range of emotions — anger, despair, hopelessness — until I realized that even though I was devastated financially, I was in fact growing creatively; even though the bills were stacked a mile high, that this was the incubation period that every journalist transitioning to new media hopes for.
Journalism is requiring its reporters, editors, and staff to adopt technical skills that fall outside of everything they've ever known, but is not providing a way for people to learn them. Newsrooms aren't shutting down operations just to do training sessions. Journalists can't take time off because they want to learn video or audio editing. Those that do want to self improve must either self-train in their spare time or hope to be given time off to attend training workshops.
It took a few months for me to realize it, but I had indeed been given a special opportunity to hone my craft and share my passion with others. Self discovery doesn't pay the bills and news of being laid off is nothing a journalist wants to hear, but I take solace in the fact that creativity thrives in the most oppressive times of one's life.
I started 10,000 Words two years ago and, at its start, churned out some pretty crappy posts. The down time allowed me to go back and fix or improve the posts that I wasn't proud of. I finally had a chance to redesign the site without worrying about time constrictions. 10,000 Words also became the forum for me to create the journalism projects that I perhaps wouldn't have time to do while working a full-time job. These include the offbeat A is for Audio: The ABCs of Multimedia, the poignant mini-site journalism is dead, and the photo slideshow The Typography of East Hollywood, a project I'd been wanting to produce for months.
The time away from journalism has helped me find my inspiration, to remember why I am a multimedia journalist in the first place. I've taken day trips to museums to see the interactive exhibits. I've attended (free) conferences to hear about not only what's being done to revitalize journalism, but the amazing technological advances that are happening outside of the journalism bubble. I'm even nearing the final stages of writing my first book, an encapsulation of this blog that I hope will be available at the end of the summer.
Of course, I'm not the only one to take advantage of being laid off. Unemployed journalists everywhere are using the experience as a starting point to create their own forms of journalism. The Arizona Guardian was founded by a group of journalists laid off from the East Valley Tribune. New Jersey Newsroom was created by former employees of the Star-Ledger. Everywhere journalists are creating new business models that may shape the future of the industry.
And this, my friends, is why all the talk of journalism dying is hooey. If I and thousands of other journalists continue to conduct and improve our craft without the means or the resources to do so, then there is hope for journalism after all. I see the future of journalism in the eyes of downsized journalists who, despite their circumstance, maintain their optimism for the industry and in the bright-eyed students who flock to journalism despite widespread news of its demise.
And while I don't hope to be unemployed forever, I cherish this time as a boon to my creativity, my resolve and as encouragement that there are better times ahead.
Also on 10,000 Words:
•Essential multimedia tutorials and resources for do-it-yourself training
•Journalism Grads: 30 Things You Should Do This Summer
•10 Things I wish they'd told me in J-School
•Journalists: Change starts with you
The gravity of the situation brought on a whole range of emotions — anger, despair, hopelessness — until I realized that even though I was devastated financially, I was in fact growing creatively; even though the bills were stacked a mile high, that this was the incubation period that every journalist transitioning to new media hopes for.
Journalism is requiring its reporters, editors, and staff to adopt technical skills that fall outside of everything they've ever known, but is not providing a way for people to learn them. Newsrooms aren't shutting down operations just to do training sessions. Journalists can't take time off because they want to learn video or audio editing. Those that do want to self improve must either self-train in their spare time or hope to be given time off to attend training workshops.
It took a few months for me to realize it, but I had indeed been given a special opportunity to hone my craft and share my passion with others. Self discovery doesn't pay the bills and news of being laid off is nothing a journalist wants to hear, but I take solace in the fact that creativity thrives in the most oppressive times of one's life.
I started 10,000 Words two years ago and, at its start, churned out some pretty crappy posts. The down time allowed me to go back and fix or improve the posts that I wasn't proud of. I finally had a chance to redesign the site without worrying about time constrictions. 10,000 Words also became the forum for me to create the journalism projects that I perhaps wouldn't have time to do while working a full-time job. These include the offbeat A is for Audio: The ABCs of Multimedia, the poignant mini-site journalism is dead, and the photo slideshow The Typography of East Hollywood, a project I'd been wanting to produce for months.
The time away from journalism has helped me find my inspiration, to remember why I am a multimedia journalist in the first place. I've taken day trips to museums to see the interactive exhibits. I've attended (free) conferences to hear about not only what's being done to revitalize journalism, but the amazing technological advances that are happening outside of the journalism bubble. I'm even nearing the final stages of writing my first book, an encapsulation of this blog that I hope will be available at the end of the summer.
Of course, I'm not the only one to take advantage of being laid off. Unemployed journalists everywhere are using the experience as a starting point to create their own forms of journalism. The Arizona Guardian was founded by a group of journalists laid off from the East Valley Tribune. New Jersey Newsroom was created by former employees of the Star-Ledger. Everywhere journalists are creating new business models that may shape the future of the industry.
And this, my friends, is why all the talk of journalism dying is hooey. If I and thousands of other journalists continue to conduct and improve our craft without the means or the resources to do so, then there is hope for journalism after all. I see the future of journalism in the eyes of downsized journalists who, despite their circumstance, maintain their optimism for the industry and in the bright-eyed students who flock to journalism despite widespread news of its demise.
And while I don't hope to be unemployed forever, I cherish this time as a boon to my creativity, my resolve and as encouragement that there are better times ahead.
Also on 10,000 Words:
•Essential multimedia tutorials and resources for do-it-yourself training
•Journalism Grads: 30 Things You Should Do This Summer
•10 Things I wish they'd told me in J-School
•Journalists: Change starts with you
12 Comments
Michael M. Says:
Hi Mark,
Thanks for another awesome post. 10,000 Words has definitely become the place I look to for inspiration, where I can point and say, "That's what I want to be doing." It's the mix of writing like this and the know-how to make it possible that have really set the blog apart.
Thanks, and keep up the great work! Aspiring new media journos everywhere need more like it.
Thanks for another awesome post. 10,000 Words has definitely become the place I look to for inspiration, where I can point and say, "That's what I want to be doing." It's the mix of writing like this and the know-how to make it possible that have really set the blog apart.
Thanks, and keep up the great work! Aspiring new media journos everywhere need more like it.
José Moreno Says:
Hi Mark. Thanks for sharing your personal experience.
I have to tell your story is very inspiring for all of us journalists who look at the future of our profession with mixed feelings of fear and hope.
It's not very often that such vivid testimonies are made public. Which leads me to this questions (that I'm sure many journalists have been asking themselves): Do you make enough money do live by? Do you make less money than when you were employed? In your opinion can most journalists hope to suceed financially this way?
If you thing the questions are too bold, please feel free to ignore them.
Thanks again for sharing.
I have to tell your story is very inspiring for all of us journalists who look at the future of our profession with mixed feelings of fear and hope.
It's not very often that such vivid testimonies are made public. Which leads me to this questions (that I'm sure many journalists have been asking themselves): Do you make enough money do live by? Do you make less money than when you were employed? In your opinion can most journalists hope to suceed financially this way?
If you thing the questions are too bold, please feel free to ignore them.
Thanks again for sharing.
Curt Says:
Hey, Mark!
We worked together at ASNE '06 or '07 (can't recall which year). Glad to hear you are re-inventing yourself. That's what we're all doing.
My job at the Seattle P-I ended in March (well, could have stayed on with seattlepi.com but chose not to). I'm trying out corporate media and doing a neighborhood news blog in Seattle, Eastlake Ave. (http://eastlakeave.neighborlogs.com).
You're right: This is the chance to learn new skills, polish old ones and find out how we all fit in to the new media landscape. What I'm discovering is that my platform has changed, but people still value what I do (although the blog doesn't really pay anything to speak of).
Onward!
Curt Milton
We worked together at ASNE '06 or '07 (can't recall which year). Glad to hear you are re-inventing yourself. That's what we're all doing.
My job at the Seattle P-I ended in March (well, could have stayed on with seattlepi.com but chose not to). I'm trying out corporate media and doing a neighborhood news blog in Seattle, Eastlake Ave. (http://eastlakeave.neighborlogs.com).
You're right: This is the chance to learn new skills, polish old ones and find out how we all fit in to the new media landscape. What I'm discovering is that my platform has changed, but people still value what I do (although the blog doesn't really pay anything to speak of).
Onward!
Curt Milton
Says:
As a fellow unemployed journalist (who used to only be an under-employed journalist...) I must also thank you for this inspiring post.
That said...the pile of bills IS getting worrisome. I'm currently working my way down your 30 Things for Grads list but if my Internet connection or worse, power, gets cut I'm kinda screwed.
That said...the pile of bills IS getting worrisome. I'm currently working my way down your 30 Things for Grads list but if my Internet connection or worse, power, gets cut I'm kinda screwed.
Mark S. Luckie Says:
Thanks everyone for your kind words and for continuing to support the blog. @ Bob and José: Figuring out how to make ends meet does keep me up at night sometimes. While I'm not ready to divulge exactly how I've managed to stay afloat, I will say the financial difficulty has been a test of my will and what keeps me going is the thought that things will eventually get better.
Says:
Come on, this post is a load of BS. Enjoying time to smell the flowers and go to museums? Give me a break. How about trying to get a mortgage and being rejected? Or being unable to buy new clothes? That's the reality of unemployed journalists.
Take off your rose-colored blinders and get real. The Web has nailed journalism into its coffin and Web 2.0 has buried it. I really regret getting into this profession and will go out of my way to urge young people to stay well away from it!
Take off your rose-colored blinders and get real. The Web has nailed journalism into its coffin and Web 2.0 has buried it. I really regret getting into this profession and will go out of my way to urge young people to stay well away from it!
Says:
I've just entered the world of hard news in the UK, I'm still fresh faced and not too reliant on caffeine, just yet. This blog is a great way to talk about the incredible opportunities in journalism, so a very big well done for the idea, and development of a great site.
And the t-shirts are fantastic!
And the t-shirts are fantastic!
David Bénard Says:
What a refreshing post :) I'm happy to read it since I'm in the very same situation since I lost my job on March... I also spend some time on my blog (http://davidbenard.free.fr) and keep the faith...
Anyway, good luck to 10,000 Words !
Anyway, good luck to 10,000 Words !
Devin Says:
Guess I could say (in the nicest way possible) that I'm glad you were given the opportunity, too, because your blog has been a huge inspiration!
But much to your fanclub's dismay, I'm sure a great newsroom will snatch you up soon.
But much to your fanclub's dismay, I'm sure a great newsroom will snatch you up soon.
Says:
I was surprised to find NOTHING in this rosy description of life after layoff about how you are supporting yourself. Are you making a living from your blog or other journalism projects? Why so mysterious about how you have managed to stay afloat after losing your job? I can't see how being an unemployed journalist is the best thing to ever happen to you if you're no longer able to make a living at journalism.
Mark S. Luckie Says:
@ Anonymous
Thanks for your inquiry but this blog isn't about my personal finances. I appreciate your concern but it is quite missing the point.
Thanks for your inquiry but this blog isn't about my personal finances. I appreciate your concern but it is quite missing the point.
I'm not unemployed - I'm on internship in Grand Rapids, Mich. - but I know a handful of journalists who graduated from Central Michigan University and are struggling in the job market. And it disappoints me to see some of them look toward other careers because they're such talented people who do NOT deserve to be laid off and looking for work. If I were them, I would keep fighting, open my options up a little bit and find work in other creative ways. Sometimes it takes persistence to crack back in and find yourself a dependable job.
Like you, working in journalism is a real passion for me, and no other career even comes close right now. I never really imagined being in the spot I am now, and I don't have any particular expectations for where I will end up. As long as I'm happy doing what I love to do.
This is a topic I may write on later in my blog, actually.
July 13, 2009 11:16 AM