The Impact of Media Concentration on Professional ... - OSCE

Do you feel threatened in your position by the increasingusage <strong>of</strong> freelance journalists?(%) Fig. 19Yes 14No 860 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100But actually it is more complicated. British newspaper publishersand management would probably love to cut costs byusing more freelancers. But in the end there is always the onereputation no newspaper can afford to lose: credibility!Nevertheless, frustration is growing rapidly among journalists.<strong>The</strong>y may be kept in their positions because “even toan inherently hostile management it is evident, that good writersand sub-editors are an asset”. That said “I think that theyregard writing staff as a negative figure on the balance sheet”.Another journalist described himself as “a necessary tool, likemachinery and plant in manufacturing”.<strong>The</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> concentration on British newspaper journalistshas resulted in the feeling <strong>of</strong> being “merely a tool to makemoney” or “a commodity”.No wonder only 51 per cent <strong>of</strong> the British participants <strong>of</strong>this survey considered themselves still as an asset to their company.(Fig. 20)“Content”, one journalist commented, “is always the firstto suffer in recession, and integrity falters as a result. <strong>The</strong> beancounters are the bottom line, not the editorial staff”.Do you think ownership and management <strong>of</strong> your paperconsider the writing staff <strong>of</strong> the company more as an assetor rather as less important? Fig. 20Asset 51Less important 490 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100COUNTRY REPORTS – UNITED KINGDOM 131