Journalism Is Losing Talented Graduates It Can’t Afford to Lose

Tickaroo survey reveals economic barriers are filtering out the talent newsrooms desperately need.

Eighty per cent of journalism students enter the profession to tell meaningful stories. Except 69% think they’re walking into a struggling industry that needs reinventing, and they’re not wrong.

Tickaroo’s Future of Journalism Survey—172 UK students and early-career journalists—lays bare what anyone who’s worked in newsrooms for the past decade already knows: the entry economics are brutal, the preparation is mismatched to reality, and the industry keeps talking about diversity whilst doing sod all about it.

Start with the money. 80% cite low wages and high living costs as barriers. 72% mention a lack of paid opportunities. When your entry route involves moving to London on minimum wage or worse, working for free, you’re selecting for people whose parents can subsidise them.

“Entry-level positions are competitive - fair enough. What isn’t fully appreciated is the financial cost of picking up your life and moving to London for a job that pays around minimum wage.”

This isn’t new. It’s bee…