Deadline: Entertainment Journalists Are Prepping to Jump Ship

The industry's always been dying, but now it might be time to pay for the funeral

“Journalism is Fucked and We’re All Doomed” is my ongoing column looking at issues affecting entertainment journalism writers. It’s an offshoot of my series The Trade, an examination and exploration of topics in the entertainment industry. If you want to read the full story consider becoming a paid subscriber. Why is it important to get a paid subscription? Not only do you get access to the awesomeness below, but you’ll be able to read every paid post including our monthly watch diaries, disability articles, and more. I also cross post these over at The Film Maven Patreon where you can subscribe, at the same price, without supporting Substack itself. Subscribe and show your support for independent journalism.

Over the last two months I’ve been feeling a way about journalism. After walking away from a highly toxic job last April I had several book projects to keep me focused. But now that at least two of those projects are done, and I’m pushing for more freelance work while writing my last, I’m starting to wonder if entertainment journalism has any room for me anymore?

I’m not alone in this. In casual scrolling of social media and LinkedIn I’ve seen many journalists, several of whom are laid off and looking for work, talking about the lack of interviews, lack of communication from editors, and ghost jobs. Last month I was told by a recruiter that one position at a prominent trade had over 1,000 applicants apply in just a few hours. But we knew all this. This is an employer’s market, competition is high and jobs are scarce. But what I started noticing is how many people are just ready to finally give in the towel.