Millennials in the Newsroom

I don't think this is a new thing. Xers were complaining about this 15 years ago. I left the journalism field about 12 years ago. Journalists in general do not get treated very well at work (and being from Michigan, I know that Joe Grimm does not always treat potential recruits very nicely, either.) That's why so many people leave the field. I get a kick out of the fact that Boomer editors and newsdirectors don't understand why people don't like getting jacked around at work. I also am amused that Millenials think they invented work-life balance.

I've spoken with authority media types and the legacy journalists feel that journalism is incredible for the younger generation because it exposes them to successful people (networking).

I did several media internships in college and decided not to pursue that field mainly because of work-life balance. They basically told me that I couldn't get married or start a family until I was 30 if I wanted a chance. Also, good mentors were few and far between because it's such a cutthroat business (TV Reporting).

Props to those that tough it out, but I agree that there's not many [in our generation] who are willing to sacrifice all that just for a *shot* at making it in the industry.

GenerationXpert – As I note above, "I think you can find recovering journalists in almost every generation." I am sure that work-life has been an issue for many people in a variety of careers probably for decades and even longer than that. But I think Millennials are a lot more vocal about this than other generations have been. A blog like this is one such example of how Gen. Y is speaking up. It's not that we think we invented it, but I think we're way less likely to settle for something that doesn't meet our expectations. I'm sure there are individuals in other generations who feel similarly, but I think the pervasiveness of this attitude amongst Gen. Y is what makes it generational.

Dan & Melanie – thanks for your input!

The work-life balance problem isn't just the long hours – it's that journalists are always "on." Even if you get home frm work in time for dinner with the family every day, you need to be constantly attentive to developing news and what's happening during the time you're not in the newsroom.

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, but of course there are some careers that are going to be less flexible than others in terms of a work-life balance. If work-life balance is important to you, journalism probably isn't the right career path for you. I'm not a journalist and I never have been, but even I understand that "news" is only "news" for a brief time–it's the nature of the beast–and that part of the job description is being ready to deliver at a moment's notice. Some people must thrive in an environment like that; I'm not one. But is this really coming as a surprise to the GenYs newly arriving on staff? What exactly did they expect?

I'm a big proponent of a work-life balance–I lead a team of 6 individuals, all of whom have flexible hours other than minimal set core business hours and who work from home at least 2 days a week via company-issued wireless laptops–but only because our industry and our clients allow it.

Thanks for expanding on my answer in the Poynter Career Center's "Ask the Recruiter." I hope your post is read widely.

As someone who recruits Millennials — and the father of two — I am frequently amazed at how fast Gen Y workers process information, adopt new skills and acquire information.

There is a lot of passion in this generation — and passionate people work hard. But I think new workers are looking for a different value proposition that their parents. And why not? They have seen their parents' generation work loyally for years, only to be downsized, laid off or merged. Those disruptions — brought on by the companies, not the workers — broke forever the loyalty contract that existed 30 years ago. Some managers still think its there.

GenY works hard, but does not look for or believe in lifetime job guarantees. People know they can be shed or their work outsourced, so they stay as long as they find the work meaningful, stimulating and fulfilling. The lack of those qualities in our work is a bigger challenge than hours or work conditions

Coming up — and raising those of Millennials — I found that all kinds of crazy hours worked for our family — until they hit school age. But I always found cool, meaningful work to be more important than work conditions — just as Gen Y does today.

Thanks.

Joe

"But I think Millennials are a lot more vocal about this than other generations have been. "

Jaclyn:

You really need to put those journalism skills to good use and do some research on this topic. The whole idea of studying generational communications came about BECAUSE the Gen Xers were so vocal in their 20s. Rocking the Ages, The WHY Behind Generation X, Marketing to Generation X are just a few books written before the year 2000 that talk about Gen X and work/life balance. That's great that you've been keenly observing Generation Y, but if you turn to the literature, you may have a more balanced view of what's really going on in the workforce – and who's really driving the changes.

Hey Joe. I remember you. The guy who strung along so many Gen Xers in the early 1990s, only to blow them off with "you have great passion and potential." Then after the strike gutted the best at the Detroit papers, you scooped up all the mediocre Gen Yers you could find. Good job.

I personally have not worked in the journalism field at all, but this leaves me a bit perplexed. I see journalism (and I may be wrong) as a very competitive field. I also believe that news does not start at 9 m and finish at 5 pm. How would one excel in journalism if they are not willing to put in the extra work?

Gen Y has a golden chance before it to transform the media industry out of its "paper and ink" past and into the Digital Age. As a Boomer who fled the daily newspaper industry back in the '90s, I've watched how the industry still relies on the old form of news "delivery" (i.e., the paper tossed off the front door, the newsstand with stacks of different papers) despite a drop in daily circulation and a clear shift of readers – even within my demographic – to online delivery.

For the most part, these bottom-line pressures have been part of the industry since the 1980s. And that's likely part of the reason news organizations won't invest in training programs: They're simply not a priority when you have to maximize advertising revenue and gather meaningful news within budget.

At the same time, the nature of the news business will always put it outside of the "9 to 5" realm. Quite simply, news happens 24/7/365. You have a civic responsibility, for one, and the most viable news organizations will always place a high priority on keeping their readers, listeners, or viewers informed, no matter what the hour or date.

But if Gen Y can lead a successful transformation of the business in the Digital Age, heck, maybe I'll come back and help out.

Nice provocative post!
– Rick

The title of this article grabbed me. I saw the link: "Millennials becoming journalists – are they doomed?" on BuzzFeed. (you guys made buzzfeed, nice!)

I'm in my 3rd year doing a minor at the j-school. I didn't even know we are called "Millennials," I guess it's happier sounding that gen-x, if just as lame. About journalism: it's the long, unpredictable hours that are off-putting. It's looking like there are two palatable options: copy editior or online staff. Us young'ens seem to know our way around the internets, at least that's what I keep being told. I am excited to see where pro journalism goes. It's not going away, but it's certainly going somewhere. Changes are coming, first person to predict them gets a cookie. and loads of $$$…