Four in five reporters want to change jobs
By Wang Zhuoqiong (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-11-08 05:50

In the old good days, a reporter was often worshipped as "a king without a crown" in China by the general public.

But a reporter's glory days appear to be over, according to a recent survey. Holding a reporting job is considered less desirable, more risky and unstable, the survey has found.

In a recent survey conducted by Zhaopin.com, one of the leading Web-based headhunters in China, more than half of people surveyed said they are not interested in being a reporter.

Nearly 80 per cent of reporters surveyed also want to change their profession.

The survey interviewed 500 people, of which two-thirds work in the media industry.

The survey results were released on the eve of the annual Journalists' Day held today.

Poor salaries are probably one of the reasons for the lack of interest in reporting jobs, the survey said.

More than 60 per cent of reporters have a monthly salary of less than 3,000 yuan(US$370).

Twenty per cent earn between 3,000 and 5,000 yuan (US$370 to US$616). Only 6.5 per cent of people get 5,000 to 8,000 yuan (US$370 to US$986), and no one is offered a salary higher than 8,000 yuan (US$986).

The survey said reporters covering some beats, including IT, real estate, and automobile have a better salary.

Forty per cent agreed that mainstream media reporters perform better than those employed by small organizations.

Only 8.6 per cent of people surveyed said reporters are top talents at the job market.

The media industry in the country is estimated to have around 750,000 people working for it.

But some media experts disagreed with the survey's findings.

"Compared with the national average incomes, reporters in China have higher earnings than those in Western countries," said Li Kun, associate professor of the School of Journalism and Communication at Peking University.

The survey found the industry is getting younger professionals, with 25 as the average age of reporters.

"Young reporters are certainly more energetic and passionate," said Xu Qinyuan, a professor at Communication University of China.

"Instead of staying in the office as desk-bound reporters, they are willing to rush to the scene."

In Chinese media, senior reporters are often promoted to management positions and leave the news desk. Many change their jobs for a stable working schedule and higher salaries.

The profession has many advantages. More than 40 per cent of people surveyed think a reporter has a more flexible schedule, and gets to know more people.

"The job has taught me a lot," said Wang Hongwei, a reporter of Guangzhou Daily based in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province.

(China Daily 11/08/2005 page2)