Coincidence of the calendar? The first states general on the training and employment of young journalists, which were held on October 4, 2022 in Paris, coincided with the “News Engagement Day” – an annual event aimed at promoting the confidence of the population. towards journalists. “If we do not take stock of the loss of public confidence in the media, democracy is in fatal danger”, underlined, from the opening of this event, Pascal Guénée, president of the Conference of Journalism Schools (CEJ), an organization which brings together the fourteen recognized schools and pilots this event. A way of remembering that if this is the first time that the profession has mobilized in this way for young people, it is also because its future is in question.
Disinformation, changing relationship to work, new ways of consuming information, impact of new technologies, precariousness associated with “freelance” work… The profession of journalist is affected by the profound changes that are going through society, as shown by the work carried out within the framework of these general meetings, financed by the France recovery plan and the Ministry of Culture. A system was put in place in 2022, with actions in schools and with employers.
A survey was conducted among new graduates (classes of 2019 to 2022) to hear their aspirations. We learn that journalism remains a vocational profession: two thirds of the 1,600 young respondents to the survey carried out by the Pluricité firm had dreamed of being journalists for years, even since childhood. But most refuse to sacrifice everything for their passion and call for a better work-life balance. Thus, only 37% say that working shifts does not pose any difficulties for them.
Misunderstandings in management
The ECJ has identified twelve themes to change the conditions for entering the profession. Management is part of it, with the desire to go beyond the “clash of generations”. All note misunderstandings between, on the one hand, employers who are annoyed that new recruits do not wish to be “fully” involved in their passion for their profession, and on the other, young people who wish to preserve their privacy, carry out projects personal… Or simply respect their working hours, while salaries in journalism remain much lower than those of other sectors recruiting bac + 5 graduates.
You have 63% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.
