On the hunt for a nonexistent journalism job
All three of us in the editorial department of YES! Weekly can recall the gnawing anxiety of the job search in the unstable world of journalism. For me, it took place in 2003 and 2004. Those were the days when restlessness and upward striving were considered part of the equation. These days, I genuflect regularly to whatever god of luck, hard work or dumb wonder allows me to remain gainfully employed. So reading about Katie and Kristy Barry, identical twins from Ohio and graduates of Rutgers University’s journalism program who have applied for 150 jobs between them in New York City without landing so much as an interview, inspires profound sympathy. Writer NR Kleinfield describes a world somewhat familiar to me in the Oct. 9 issue of The New York Times: “Good kids who went to good schools, the brassy, effervescent Barry twins, 24, always envisioned their young adulthood in New York City as a lush time of stimulating work, picturesque travel and a rich social orbit. But they graduated into a downbeat nightmare of a job market. According to an analysis of government data by the Economic Policy Institute, the unemployment rate for college graduates under 27 so far this year averaged 7.1 percent, nearly double what it was in 2007 and the highest yearly average in the 30 years this data point has been tracked.” — JG
NY Times cancels magazine subscriptions
In what could be characterized as yet another sign that revenues continue to plummet for major daily newspapers, The New York Observer published a New York Times internal memo this week from metro administrative manager Gloria Bell to all metro desk staffers regarding the paper’s tighter. Because of that we have decided to cut all subscriptions to newspapers and magazines that come in from the news dealer. If you wish to read any of the tabloids or out-of-town papers, either purchase your own or share with co-workers who purchase them to read on their way to work.” Metro desk staffers were also informed they would no longer be reimbursed for any subscriptions they had previously purchased to outside publications. Bell encouraged reporters to utilize the internet to obtain magazine and newspaper articles, and contribute their purchased materials to the newspaper’s “share and share alike” system — large stacks of periodicals and newspapers placed on top of office file cabinets. Bell said the money saved by the measure could be better spent on paying freelance writers. — KTB
