We need to have an honest conversation about why so many talented journalists are leaving the profession.
It’s not because they suddenly stopped caring about journalism.
Many of them still love the newsroom.
They still love telling stories.
They still believe in holding people accountable and giving the public information that matters.
But passion cannot pay rent.
A journalist with years of experience is expected to investigate, write, edit, interview, fact-check, produce digital content, manage social media, appear on camera, meet impossible deadlines and sometimes work long hours under intense pressure.
And somehow, all of that experience is expected to come with a salary that barely reflects the responsibility.
Then we wonder why experienced journalists leave.
They move into PR.
Corporate communications.
Digital media.
Content creation.
Consulting.
Freelancing.
Or completely different industries.
And when newsrooms struggle to find experienced people, we call it a talent shortage.
Maybe that’s not the real problem.
Maybe the industry has a retention problem created by poor compensation.
You cannot continuously ask professionals to sacrifice their time, energy and expertise because “they should be passionate about journalism.”
Passion is what may bring someone into the profession.
It should never be the reason they are expected to accept less than they deserve.
If journalism wants experienced journalists to stay, grow and build sustainable careers, then the industry needs to start treating journalism as a profession—not a calling that people are expected to fund with their own pockets.
Value the work.
Value the experience.
And most importantly, pay the people doing it.
Because sometimes the talent isn’t missing.
The talent simply went where it was valued.
— Emefa Tetteh