Journalism is Dying

Question

Journalism is a field that is increasingly more difficult to gain access to entry-level jobs to. With the increase of AI, media platforms, fake news and technology, the need for accurate news has decreased. People have been funding journalists less which decreases newsrooms. As these newsrooms contract, the path of journalists die because there are no more vacancies. Journalism isn't entirely dead but is a very large dying art.

Answer 1

Overall, I find this claim to be a bit of a generalization. Print media has been on a steady decline since roughly the 1980s (Pew). However, journalism as a whole includes a lot more than just print media, and I think it is important to highlight not only the decline in print but also the shift to other forms of media. Pew Research Center further states, "While most newspapers in the United States are struggling some of the biggest brands are experiencing digital growth." The article you cited includes the following quote, "newsroom employment is down more than 26% since 2008," (Politico). The statement highlights how many news companies are downsizing due to the lack of engagement with their print media. So yes, you are correct in saying that print media is lacking, but overall many media sources are finding ways to expand. Journalism encompasses many other areas such as podcasts, tv, social media, websites, and other creative areas for example the New York Times games, a very profitable source of revenue for NYT. 

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/01/27/is-the-journalism-death-spasm-finally-here-00138187

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/11/28/audiences-are-declining-for-traditional-news-media-in-the-us-with-some-exceptions/#:~:text=For%20the%20most%20part%2C%20daily,for%20Audited%20Media%20(AAM).

https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/insights/2024/the-power-of-video-in-news-media-how-increased-audience-engagement-drives-success/

Comments

I liked how you cited multiple sources to show that journalism is not dying. I agree that paper media is slowly becoming unpopular with the evolution of the Internet.

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I agree with your answer that Journalism isn't dying. I like how you provided examples of how news organizations are expanding into new areas like the NYT. Also, the use of many different sources provided your answer with a lot of credibility. The inline Politico citation added another level of analysis to your answer.

Answer 2

The claim that journalism is dying is neither true nor false, rather misleading. Rather, journalism has entered a new digital age, showcasing media on social media applications and television networks. However, where journalism has been rapidly declining is in newspaper sales and online publications. Individuals are now opting for free online sources over paid print media, as online publications offer 24/7 news that can be quicker internalized than a shipped newspaper. It is clear that newspapers are in a sharp decline, and many companies are having to resort to electronic newspaper subscriptions, or including a paywall that restricts non members from viewing certain articles and stories. A study from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University discovered that between the years 2005 and 2023, the country has lost around 2,900 different newspapers, and 43,000 journalists. 

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/communication-and-mass-media/decline-newspapers-overview 

Another subject that has been drastically impacting journalism is the surge of AI. In a world where disinformation and misinformation is as popular as ever, with professional journalists having to fight with unverified content creators, artificial intelligence has created a new sphere of fake videos and images that appear real to the naked eye. This has created a real distrust in the media, and is hurting journalists trying to get the truth out. In conjunction, traditional news outlets are under financial struggle due to the digital age that has led to decreased advertising revenue and subscriptions, which all lead to less jobs and high salaries for reporters, editors, and staff. This information from The United Nations is daunting, and portrays how journalism and democracy is under attack. 

https://unric.org/en/artificial-intelligence-and-the-future-of-journalism-risks-and-opportunities/

Answer 3

With the evolution of AI there is an argument to be made that journalism is dying. Buff State record put it nicely saying “The days of sipping a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper are becoming a thing of the past. It is undeniable that journalism at its core is a dying trade. Countless newspapers have no choice but to either merge or shut down completely.” That alone doesn't mean that journalism is dying, it just shows that we are growing and going from paper to digital. While the “news is dying” trend may deter some people from pursuing journalism, this should be considered a huge opportunity to be part of a new era of journalism. 

Numbers are down on newspapers and news broadcasts but are at an all time high for sports and podcasts. With the new generation comes new ways and podcast seem to be the trend. “The percentage of Americans who have consumed a podcast has reached an all-time high, according to The Infinite Dial® 2025, released by Edison Research with support from Audacy, Cumulus Media, and SiriusXM Media. This latest installment is part of the longest-running annual survey of digital media consumption in the United States.” From my fact checking and research I have concluded that journalism is not dying its just an ever changing industry.

Answer 4

You are right that "journalism is dying," but it is also exaggerated. The industry is experiencing major changes, traditional businesses are failing, newsroom employment has decreased significantly, and new technology is changing the world, like AI. The Pew Research Center estimates that between 2008 and 2020, newsroom employment in the United States decreased by almost 26%. Newspaper employment fell by around half during the same time period, making the fall even greater.   Many journalists describe shorter career paths, fewer entry-level positions, and layoffs, which give the impression that the "art" of journalism is under serious risk.   That means there will be more competition, smaller newsrooms, and fewer stepping-stone jobs for those just starting out in the industry. But here's the thing: journalism isn't "dead." There is still a need for reliable reporting, new models are being developed, and there are still ways in. For instance, data from the Report for America program indicates that roughly 82% of its graduates are still employed in journalism. https://www.niemanlab.org/2025/08/report-for-america-journalists-increasingly-keep-jobs-in-their-host-newsrooms-data-shows/. I’m on the fence about this topic now especially though, because many of the journalists from inside the Pentagon have decided to leave. This could be the end of journalism and it depends on which route we’re taking on today’s society. With huge journalists walking out could this be the start of something new? Without our reliable news and articles, what is the next step? https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-press-access-hegseth-trump-restrictions-5d9c2a63e4e03b91fc1546bb09ffbf12

Answer 5

From the articles I have read, journalism isn't dying, it's transitioning from physical print to digital media and is still very much relevant in todays world. Focusing specifically on news, a study was done in some European countries to look at the digital transition of news that highlights how many news outlets are installing paywalls and subscriptions as forms of payment to view online media instead of printed media. Many news outlets are also transitioning to breaking-news online content and videos to draw in more viewers. 

https://www.digitalnewsreport.org/publications/2018/digital-transition-local-news/#conclusion

Another study estimated that around 56% of adults say that they often get their news from online sources such as tv or smartphones. It also describes how at least 1-in-5 U.S. adults get a good amount of their media and news intake from online sources.

https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/news-platform-fact-sheet/

Based on the information I found, I disagree with the statement that journalism is dying, it may seem that way because of the decline in physical news and media consumption, but rather there is a very large increase in the amount of news consumed online in some way, whether it is social media, television, or news articles. It's not that journalism is dying, it's that the job spectrum and the education of online media needs to catch up with how media is put of and viewed.