• by Ray Schultz , March 15, 2023

Journalists list disinformation and lack of funding as their biggest worries, and some fret about safety, judging by "The State of Journalism 2023," a study by Muck Rack.

Specifically, they are concerned about these issues:

• Disinformation—50%
• Lack of funding—50%
• Trust in journalism/media—40%
• Lack of tie to cover stories thoughtfully—33%
• Lack of independence in news media—32%
• Politicization and polarization of journalism—32%
• News and media literacy—31%
• Decreasing readership—31%
• Journalist safety—30%
• Competing for audience attention against too many other stories—30%

In addition, two thirds say their work has been affected by economic uncertainty. They say:

• Economic uncertainty has not affected my reporting—33%
• I’ve switched jobs or made a career change—22%
• Layoffs/furloughs at my outlets (s) have increased 21%
• More stories about the economy—21%
• Personal layoff(s) have meant less work in general—18%
• Less news to cover as companies postpone new releases—9%

Despite all this, 58% of journalists are optimistic about the profession. And 79% feel audience trust in their coverage has increased or stayed the same. 

Millennials and Gen Z are now the biggest target audiences for journalists. Asked to check off all that apply, the respondents listed:

• Gen Z—41%
• Millennial—57%
• Gen X—52%
• Boomer—43%
• I don’t know—17%
• Other—15%

On another front, half of all journalists have considered leaving Twitter. But only 28% plan to spend less time on it. On the contrary, 90% use Twitter, and 78% say it is the most valuable social network in their work, according to the study.

Reporters use Twitter for the following:

• Follow the news—83%
• Promote my work—78%
• Find sources—69%
• Connect with other journalists—67%
• Connect with my audience/readers—61%
• Discover new voices—48%
• Share my opinion/point of view—43%

Where do reporters go first for news? They use:

• Online newspapers or magazines—59%
• Twitter—14%
• Print newspapers or magazines—5%
• Online newsletters—4%
• Other—4%
• TV/cable news—3%
• Facebook—3%
• Radio—2%
• Podcasts—2%
• Other social media—2%
• LinkedIn—1%

U.S. journalists earn the following, including bonuses:

• Less than $40k—20%
• $40k-$70k—31%
• $70k-$100k—20%
• $100k-$150k—9%
• $150k-$200k—4%
• More than $250k—1%
• Prefer not to say—19%

Muck Rack surveyed 2,226 journalists worldwide from Jan. 4 to Feb. 6. Of those polled, 46% report both online and in print, and 34% online only. Only 6% report primarily in print, 5% on TV, 3% on radio, 1% in video. And 3% say other. The full study can be accessed here.