It’s been two years since I said goodbye to my career in professional journalism. While the change wasn’t easy, settling into a new environment, I have zero regrets today.
A couple of days ago, I ran into a former colleague. When I asked how he was doing, he said, «You made the right decision…»
The media industry is in worse shape than ever. Multiple media outlets (legacy and digital) stumbled over toxic management and sexual harassment allegations. And, of course, there were layoffs.
The largest publisher, Tamedia (part of TX Group), announced it would cut 90 editorial jobs. Towards the audience, it laughably sold the cuts as «Setting the course for independent quality journalism».
Question: How big can the cognitive dissonance get?
Answer: Yes. But don’t worry; new lows will be coming.
Oh, and it’s worth noting that the TX Group continuously paid dividends to its shareholders: 65,7 million for 2023, for example. Stephanie Vonarburg, vice president of union Syndicom, states: «Over the past 15 years, the shareholders of the TX Group, owner of Tamedia, have siphoned off more than 670 million in dividends from a profit of 2.2 billion.»
Simultaneously, the publisher association «Verband Schweizer Medien» had the balls to call for expanded state subsidies.
Pardon my French, but: Are you fucking kidding me? Sorry, there will be more swearing.
We talk about the same publishers that first missed digitalisation, then bought back the digital marketplaces for an insane amount of money, cannibalised their products with free and cheap platforms, and cut costs on every corner to a degree where they have normalised a work environment with overtime, burnout, and abuse of power.
Without self-exploitation, the newspapers and online platforms would be half-empty.
We talk about the same publishers that for years attacked the publicly funded broadcaster SRG, undermining its justified status while crying «Free market! Free market!» and conveniently helping the far-right in launching political maneuvres against the institution.
Now, they beg for subsidies with one hand while the other lines the pockets of their millionaire and billionaire owners.
I feel sorry for the journalists who are still trapped in this system. Because they love their work. Because this job is without alternative for them.
And yes, some of them are still defending the publishers, blind to the fact that they don’t give a fuck about journalism and its vital function. It’s all about the bottom line, the profit, the bonuses. Numbers before people.
I’m all for a robust subsidy scheme for journalism. Especially a start-up fund to give some leeway for new ideas and brands. Unfortunately, we’re years away from finding a solution.
But dumping money in this rotten conglomerate of few publishers is by far the worst way. No subsidies for for-profit media organisations. Plain and simple.
Okay, what can we do in the meantime? Support the hell out of new media companies, especially local ones like «Hauptstadt» or «Tsüri». There, you know that your money is ending up in journalism.
