Why I Post So Many Media Jobs

November 7, 2012 by Kenna Griffin

I’ve never worked in journalism during a time of growth, promise or popularity.

By the time I was old enough to join the industry, the heyday of Woodward and Bernstein already was faded and the era of commercialized television news was upon us.

For me, journalism always was “dying.” Newspapers were one bad economic cycle away from distinction and magazines consistently struggled to pay the bills. Anyone who majored in journalism must be destined for failure. After all, you’ll never get a job in a dying industry.

I never accepted any of this as truth.

It’s not (I don’t think) a severe case of denial. It has more to do with my view of the purpose of the media in the greater society.

The purpose of journalism is to provide the people with the information they need to be free and self governing.

If you believe, as I do, that information is key to democracy, then it’s reasonable also to believe that the people always will desire information.

Yes, formats may change, but the need to be informed is basic and instinctual. Information helps us make sense of our world and protects us from perceived threats. Information puts the power in the hands of the people, allowing them to think critically to test their beliefs and support their actions.

The purpose of information is as fundamental as breathing to me. Therefore, professional communicators always are necessary. We assist the people in exercising their democratic freedom.

The reason I post media jobs is actually simple. I want people to understand that journalism still is a strong industry and a viable career option. Here’s the dirty little secret: there’s not enough time in my day to post all of the media jobs available. Not too bad for a “dying” industry.
I post a list of media jobs under the “Jobs” tab on this site each Monday. It’s called simply “This Week’s Media Jobs.” Because I post a new list every week, you may want to review several weeks’ lists to get a comprehensive look at what’s available. I also post a list of media internships each Friday. It’s titled, “Look! Media Internships!,” and can be found under the internships tab.