Poll: Are you still working in journalism?

[Hey Diaz!]

Just curious.

Seems this place could be renamed Formersportsjournalists.com ... or so it seems. Please vote and let's find the truth! :D

 

[Songbird]

No, but I'd be willing to do some pieces if asked.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Officially, no. But I've written a couple of stories for our company website.

I'll probably do some freelancing in the future, but I wanted to make a clean break. So I'm not doing any for the first year in the new career.

 

[valpo87]

I'm five years in and actually looking to jump to a daily. While I know the field has it's issues, I have a weird sense of optimism and a work ethic I feel should bring me where I want to go.

And now I wait for the criticism of someone either saying I'm a fool for how I think or telling me I need to get out now. [Starts timer]

 

[MTM]

I'm almost 30 years in, but no longer even dabble in sports.
Strictly news now.

 

[Versatile]

I Should Coco said it best:

 

[BTExpress]

I'll keep playing my violin, too. Dry land (retirement) is only a few years off, and I've hoarded enough life jackets and lifeboats to keep me going no matter when/if the ship sinks.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Been running around, searching for a lifeboat, while holding a chair that I hope I can cling to if I'm in the ocean.

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

I always wanted to be a farmer. I think I would have talent for it.

 

[ChrisLong]

Took a buyout in June, ending a 44-year newspaper career, all in sports. I've said for the past couple of years my next job will be no job. So far that is true. But I am going to write a story about a golf tournament for my high school's alumni newspaper.

 

[WriteThinking]

Why does it matter? I can, and will, talk journalism (among other things) with anyone, anywhere, anytime, and that's what this web site/message board is for, is it not?

Once you've been a journalist, and if you've done it right, it seems to me that you're always one, at least at heart. Plus, virtually anyone who goes out of the business tends to do so only half-way for a while, freelancing a little, or sometimes a lot, before other priorities (like a non-freelance job) take precedence.

Freelancing, in fact, can always be an option once you've had some good experience. It is for me, even still, after leaving my last full-time journalism job almost seven years ago now. (Wow, I can't believe it was that long ago already. It still seems like it was just last year, or two years ago at the most. I guess that's because it was a very impacting time for me).

 

[Mauve_Avenger]

Took a buyout in June, ending a 44-year newspaper career, all in sports. I've said for the past couple of years my next job will be no job. So far that is true. But I am going to write a story about a golf tournament for my high school's alumni newspaper.

Your high school has an alumni newspaper?

 

[KJIM]

I'd be curious how many people on this board never worked in sports journalism. Seems there's at least a handful.

Me, no more. Happy with my gig as a diplomat.

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

I've been out of journalism for awhile.

The last sports story I wrote was in 2010.

I wrote four freelance pieces (non-sports) last year. Two, I was very well-paid for, one I did for free as a favor and the other I did for free because I wanted to get in good with the editor of a certain site. That didn't exactly work out too well because the editor left the site about three months later.

I've written twice this year.

I still get very strange freelance calls, usually for assignments and amount of $$$ that I would have turned down as a starving college kid.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Out for five years now. (I can't belive that.)

Freelanced preps for a couple of random seasons. Freelanced for an alumni mag for a while. Now freelancing some features for a sports section, and really enjoying it.

It won't be as a beat writer or probably even in sports or newspapers, but I'll probably be back in at some point in a larger capacity, once I get some things paid down/off, the house in particular, and maybe get the kids' college funds and the retirement account really on solid ground.

 

[RustyHampton]

I was a sports reporter for 22 years and then a sports editor for 11 more. Now I work in the marketing department of an engineering firm, where I do quite a bit of writing of a totally different kind, and also do some free-lance sports writing on the side. I've been out about 1.5 years. I miss the news business but absolutely, positively DO NOT miss dealing with Gannett and all its crap. Being away from Gannett has been great.

 

[Meatie Pie]

Long since out of daily print journalism.

Period of years. Less than 10, more than five.

Spent more time typing this post than I have actively missing the business since I left.

 

[Tarheel316]

Still in it.

 

[MisterCreosote]

Out more than five years now, after a career mostly in news, with a year and some bullpen appearances in sports.

I will never go back. Not that anyone has been clamoring.

 

[I Should Coco]

Versatile's sig says it all for me.

And regarding KJIM's question ... other than serving as an "interim" sports editor for a few months while my small daily was between SE's, I've always balanced sports and news, both as a reporter and as a copy editor/paginator.

Since becoming a copy editor about 15 years ago (soon after my son was born), I've pitched in a lot on Friday nights, for playoff games, the occasional college gamer and a few sports feature stories/columns. I enjoy keeping my hand in writing (and photography), and at several different shops, sports editors are always more open to me helping with reporting than the news side.

I always figured if I leave the business, I'd still be in demand as a stringer/freelancer for gamers and sports features ... on whatever medium exists.