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Newspaper journalists paid less than ... janitors?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Baron Scicluna, Jan 7, 2010.

  1. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    According to this story, journalists make an average of nearly $22 grand in 2008, and 50 years ago, made less than 3 grand. Janitors, according to their stats, made $3,000 more today and $500 more in 1958:

    http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-2146-Salaries-and-Promotions-What-Was-Your-Salary-Worth-50-Years-Ago/?sc_extcmp=JS_2146_home1&SiteId=cbmsnhp42146&ArticleID=2146&gt1=23000&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=6029e041e5c8430789d6d11b40ea4fe2-316165899-J1-5

    I would hope that their figure for today isn't accurate, although the cynical person in me believes it's true. And if it isn't, it sure is heading that way.
     
  2. Riddick

    Riddick Active Member

    Wouldn't surprise me at all. I worked a couple of gigs that didn't pay shit. But would always prefer that over cleaning up after other people.
     
  3. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    When I first got into the business in Feb. 2000, I made $9.50 an hour, or about $19K a year. I was jumping for joy at the time.

    Amazing how much changes in a decade.
     
  4. RickStain

    RickStain Well-Known Member

    There's a shit-ton of people who want to be journalists.
     
  5. Pete Incaviglia

    Pete Incaviglia Active Member

    I know janitors who worked as a unionized employee at a Detroit Three auto plant. They make, and I'm not kidding here, more than $100,000 a year. I'm dead serious.

    Now, the few I know work straight midnights (shift premium) and weekends (shift premium) and every holiday they can (shift premium).
     
  6. fishwrapper

    fishwrapper Active Member

    Um, Pete, that's pretty much what we work.
     
  7. Pete Incaviglia

    Pete Incaviglia Active Member

    Sort, of yes. Without the shift premium and midnight shift in most cases.
     
  8. Joe Williams

    Joe Williams Well-Known Member

    Of course, in janitor-ism vs. journalism, the creed nowadays is "Do more with more." Garbage, that is.
     
  9. fishhack2009

    fishhack2009 Active Member

    My first job in the business was in 1994 in Oklahoma ... for $6.75 an hour, which extended out to $13,500 a year before taxes.

    Imagine my joy when I covered the city budget hearings and discovered the janitors at the library were starting at $6.88 an hour.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 1, 2015
  10. Dyno

    Dyno Well-Known Member

    A guy I went to high school with is a bus driver for the county we grew up in. He makes over $60K a year.
     
  11. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    Read the HuffPost piece about Newspaper Reporter ranking beneath janitor, chauffeur, bus driver and public school teacher and between seaman and stevedore, at number 180, in terms of most desirable jobs based on pay, job prospects, satisfaction and working conditions.
     
  12. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Good Lord. Really?

    Not bad for having summers off.
     
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