Food for thought - Only for the news professionals of all types of media outlets...

The news industry is lately experiencing an anxious number of job cuts. And this phenomenon has turned literally global.

Have you ever wondered why!?!

Is the industry truly dying? No!

Don't they have enough money to pay salaries? That's not the case!

Aren't rich people investing enough in media? Surely they are!

'Then what is the problem???' Even I yelled to myself!

According to my understanding -- dipped in the Darwin's theory which says 'survival of the fittest' -- the media bosses realised that they now can actually hire multitasking professionals rather than people with only one field of expertise.
Have you ever laughed out loud about a younger colleague who was using the 'wannabe cool' methods of journalism with SnapChat and Instagram apps on his smartphone?

My dear friend! If you nod positively to my question above, then you have something to worry about! That kid is here only to empty your office chair by kicking hard on your buttocks, metaphorically, to become the ten-handed work machine who will replace you, simultaneously will make the employers happy!

These days, every boss wants a Jack of all trade rather than a King of only one! For example, the employers nowadays literally HATE to send three people -- one for text, one for photos, one for videos -- to cover a single event. Can't believe me? Ask co-workers around the globe.
Everybody loves a one-man production 'team' these days. Remember those days of war fought between American Blues versus the British Redcoats? When they fired their muskets in turns and lines of soldiers from both sides kept dying -- 'with honours' (!) If you notice, those days are long gone in modern guerilla warfare! Now we hardly give a damn about honour. We kill from miles away! We now have snipers who, mostly, work alone!

The media industry is turning into a war zone too! I don't know whether it is simply fantasized by covering too much of war stories in the recent decades or something else, but honestly, bosses are crazy about the 'sniper' journos with their awkward ghillie suits fitted with cameras and all sort of 'hands' those can actually hold at least one gadget!

Therefore, my dear friends in journalism! Have you started learning a bit of everything? If so, then welcome aboard! You are probably going to survive the flood frenzy of job cuts on the arc of multimedia journalism! And that's how important it is!

If not, then I only can only shake my head in despair mumbling 'that old-school b*st*rd! I told him so!'

 

DISCLAIMER: This is completely a personal writeup by Sam Jahan. It does not endorse opinions by any other individual or organisations. All photos copyrighted to Sam Jahan.