IJNet - Should the media industry value its wallet more than its journalists?

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Should the media industry value its wallet more than its journalists?

Posted on: 04/06/2009 Basic Journalism Region: Worldwide

In light of the global recession, many media outlets around the world are scaling back on "extraneous" spending. Trainings, conferences and seminars are being removed from news organizations' budgets, while fewer journalists are seeking outside training for fear of missing work and losing their jobs.

U.S. journalists are finding it more difficult to get permission to participate in international fellowships and exchanges, even when there is no cost to the news organization, said Patrick Butler, vice president of programs at the International Center for Journalists. "These opportunities can really enrich both the journalist and the news organization," he said. "But many journalists tell us that they can't apply. In these times of shrinking news staffs, the bosses say they can't spare anybody, even when the journalist will be producing stories on the fellowship or exchange."

At the same time, with the industry evolving at a rapid pace, journalists need to be trained and re-trained now more than ever to sustain a healthy and high-quality global journalism environment.

How are your editors reacting? At a time of rapid change and dwindling budgets, do you think it is more important for organizations to keep their budgets tight or to keep journalists sharp and up-to-date?

Comments

Submitted on: 08/06/2009 — IJNet User

اسمي محمد محسن وتد صحفي من الداخل الفلسطيني عرب 48 ، ما من شك بان الازمة المالية باتت تهدد قطاعات مختلفة، منها قطاع الاعلام الصحافة والدعائية، هذا الامر بات ينعكس سلبا على العاملين في مجال الصحافة، وتحديدا في فلسطين، لا نتحدث عن تقليص ميزانيات التدريب للصحافيين، اصلا المؤسسات الاعلامية حتى في وقت الرخاء والانتعاش الاقتصادي لم تهتم بان ينخرط الصحافيين في دورات استكمال، في الداخل الفلسطيني هناك مركز اعلام في الناصرة والذي يسعى جاهدا لتوفير مثل هذه الدورات للصحافيين. المشكلة التي نواججها اليوم، هو التقليص في معاشات الصحافيين، والاستغناء عن الصحافيين اصحاب القدرات والمهنية والخلفية الاكاديمية، واستبدالهم باشخاص لا يمتون لعالم الصحافة باي صلة، مجرد اشخاص يتم تسليمهم كاميرات يلتقطون الصور ويجمعون مجرد اقاويل تحلو موادهم الى تقارير صحفية، طبعا هؤلاء تكاليف تشغيلهم زهيدة جدا، بحيث انه بمعاش صحفي مهني واكاديمي يمكن تشغيل اربعة اشخاص ممن يتسلقون على عالم الصحافة، هذه الظاهرة تنعكس سلبا على الصحافة بشكل عام، والامر يؤدي الى انعدام المهينة وعدم قيام الصحافة بدورها وواجبها، الامر الذي سيمس بحياة المجتمع في كافة المرافق والمناحي، ناقوس الخطر يقرع والصحافة في بعض البلدان مهددة بالانهيار، عدم الاستثمار في الصحافة او عدم الاستثمار بها بالذات في ظل الازمة الاقتصادية سيكون له تبعاته وترسباته السلبية والخوف اعتماد هذا النمط من الصحافة، كنمط ثابت حتى وان تحسنت الاوضاع الاقتصادية.
محمد محسن وتد
عرب 48
mwatad@yahoo.com

Submitted on: 09/06/2009 — Eman

لعل من اهم اسباب تراجع اداء اية وسيلة اعلامية هو تخفيض ميزانيتها بشكل يؤثر على استعداد الصحفي في الالتزام بعمله الحالي فهناك العديد من الاعلاميين يتمسكون بعملهم وان فقدوا ميزات الانضمام الى الدورات الخارجية منها او الداخلية لتطوير مهاراتهم وفي ظل اقالة العديد من الصحفيين بسبب الازمة المالية ارى ان فقدان هذه الميزات لا يعد خطيرا حتى يحافظ الاعلامي على وظيفته في الاقل ولكن ليس على حساب مهاراته
والاهم من كل هذا ان باستطاعة الصحفي مثلا ان يعتمدعلى نفسه في تسديد فواتير هذه الدورات ان استطاع ذلك او الاطلاع على دورات الانترنت التي تتيح له الانضمام اليها دون ان يصرف دولار واحد
فمثلا في العراق من الصعب على بعض القنوات الاعلامية المحدودة التمويل ارسال اعلامييها الى دورات تكلف الاف الدولارات فتكتفي بالدورات المحلية التي ترتقي نوعا ما الى مستوى الدورات الخارجية

Submitted on: 09/06/2009 — IJNet User

the current issue is more a business issue than journalistic. the survival of an organisation is paramount before individial interest. in the light of the global economic crisis ensure the survival of media organisations and the first natural thing is to scale down budgets. when the these trying times are over then media organisations and editors indeed can now go back to their spending spree. when times change, it should be natural that man, organisations, institutions and society in general that its should change to adapt to the changes in the surrounding environments, if organisations and instutitions fail to obey this natural principle then they are doomed to collapse of an organisational-heartattack.
Joe Nkadaani, Lusaka, Zambia

Submitted on: 09/06/2009 — IJNet User

I entirely believe that its very important for media organisations to set a side budgets for faciliating training of the journalists, because this is the one sure way of improving the quality of work that will eventually impact on organisation's incomes positively and the general service delievery.

Many editors and Media Houses only focus at milking the cow without giving it green pasture and good water, this makes the journalists to fear for security of their jobs coupled with challenges of resources to access training on individual basis.

therefore Fellowships and Professional Bodies should work towrads availing more flexible and affordable training opportunities to enable the determined journalists to take up the task of improving the career, Values and standards of Journalism profession.

Solomon Lubambula
lsolomonws@yahoo.com
Kampala Uganda

Submitted on: 09/06/2009 — IJNet User

للاسف معظم مالكي المؤسسات الاعلامية لا يفكرون بتطوير المهارات المهمه لمنتسبيهم وذلك بسبب الجانب المادي اولا وايضا هم اصلا قليلي الاهتمام بهذا الجانب وحتى الدورات او الورشات التي تعقد بين الحين والاخر والتي تكون في اغلبها مجانية ايضا لايقبلون بها بحجة ان المنتسب او الصحافي الذي يعمل في المؤسسة ليس له بديل الخ.
وعد السباهي
العراق

Submitted on: 09/06/2009 — Bisong

Money is inanimate and cannot multiply without the intervention of man. Thus, only man, through his brain and brawn can bring about profit, or curb loses. Diminishing media budgets would sink deeper if man (and here I mean the journalists) is not placed at the top of the media establishment. Media bosses who think by favouring the purse over human resources their estabilshments would stay afloat, would sooner than later find that man is supreme. I am a proprietor and Publisher of a newspaper and though income has been on the down trend even before the advent of this new economic downturn, I have always privileged human resources over the purse. Though the purse feeds the human, it is always the human who replenishes the purse.

Submitted on: 09/06/2009 — IJNet User

A balance is necessary. Thank goodness that Mass Media companies are not going bankrupt like the autos, banks,etc. Their should be a way of standing up to the economic meltdown challenge. However, this does not means a relapse in the quality of delivery to the public. This is the time media professionals will have to engage in personal sacrifice. their passion is being tested. A passionate editor would go beyond what the outfit can afford to give the best.

Submitted on: 10/06/2009 — mitrich

Вопрос конечно интересный. С одной стороны профессионалы делают новости быстрее и вкуснее чем человек, который только постигает азы профессии, но профи нужно нормально палить, а ученик готов пахать за спасибо… и как Вы думаете какой из путей выберут тем более в условиях кризиса.
А о стажировках и повышении квалификации можно и не заикаться … тем более все ждут, когда еще одно издание закроется.

Submitted on: 13/06/2009 — IJNet User

Since the collapse of the soviet union ,capitalism has taken the centre stage of global economic reality.in essence nearly all countries of the world now operate a private sector driven economy .this implies that money must be put in the pockets of those who control the economy.the media is not immuned from this tendency.Its a world of maximazation of profit but owners of media outfit should take cognizanceof the fact that the better equipped their workforce;the more profit they are likely to make.

Submitted on: 15/06/2009 — viviposter

It is very interesting debate in journalism between the commitment for the truth and persobal intrests of the media like ideology or self profit

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Submitted on: 15/06/2009 — IJNet User

On the media and global economic recession, I would suggest that descretion should play a dominant role in every organisation's management in deciding who among the staves attainds training; not just any training, it must be one that has an immidate relevance to the organisation at
the time of training. The training and re-training of journalists to keep abreast with changes in the society and technology complexity, cannot be over emphasised. However, common sense demands that in a time like this, some adjustments here and there should be made both to adapt to the situation and still remain in bussiness.

I am Stanley Aghalanya,a cameraman with the leading private TV station, AIT, in Nigeria.

Submitted on: 16/06/2009 — IJNet User

The obsession with cutting costs has been happening -- at least in the Indian media -- much before the current financial meltdown. Increasingly, editors don't ever write themselves, they are too busy being gatekeepers, and so they have no idea of the importance of training. In the field with which I'm familiar -- environment -- papers send young or mid-level journalists who have no idea of the intricacies of these issues. Indeed, workshops abroad are seen as perks to be distributed "equitably" without realising that journalists, particularly with global treaties, need to keep abreast of negotiations.

Darryl D'Monte, Environmental Journalist, Mumbai

Submitted on: 16/06/2009 — IJNet User

للاسف جاءت الازمة المالية العالمية بمثابة شماعة يتحجج بها القائمون على الموسسات الاعلامية العربية تحديدا
للهروب من اي التزامات تجاة الكوادر الاعلامية والصحفية واهمها التدريب والتاهيل على الرغم ان جوانب الانفاق
في مجالات اخرى تستهل معظم موازنتها المالية بفعل الفساد المالي في كثير من هذه الموسسات
والعجيب في الموضوع ان بند التدريب والتاهيل ينفق في اقامة دورات وورش عمل ليس لها علاقة بالعمل الاعلامي
ولا تلامس الاحتياجات التدريبية للكوادر الاعلامية والصحفية

مطهر هزبر _صحفي من اليمن

Submitted on: 19/06/2009 — IJNet User

I am the Honorable Sir (Datuk) Rahmat bin Haji Abdul. Rahman, rahmatnews@yahoo.com wishes to convey my fellow journalism friends worldwide that no one can appreciate the works of the employed journalists, freelance journalists or reporters. But, what people look at his the $ signs on their naked eyes. Any government officers, politicians and clerics will take advantages of the journalist profession later they will throw the journalists like the peanuts and its skin. Or the pumpkins nuts and its skin.

Submitted on: 07/07/2009 — IJNet User

روزنامه نگاران سرمایه اصلی روزنامه ها هستند. اگر به آنها بها داده نشود جیبشان آسیب خواهد دید.

Submitted on: 25/08/2009 — sipho

In the face of economic meltdown, jobs should be saved at all costs.Even if it means sacrificing skills development.Hard times do not last but tough people do.Senior reporters who have already undergone training junior staff need should fill this void when times are hard and outside training is unaffordable.It is no use using funds that could keep a journalist employed to train the journalist who would have to be sacrificed later on due to retrenchement.It would be skill and investment loss for the company and income lost for the highly trained reporter.
Jobs first....

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Sipho Masombuka-Pretoria, South Africa