Survey: Economy has major effect on Iowa newsrooms
By John Lytle, Drake University
The median salary Jan. 1 for this spring’s IBNA Survey respondents was $48,000. Television professionals earned more than their radio peers and enjoyed larger raises.
This year’s annual IBNA Job Satisfaction and Salary Survey found a greater percentage of respondents than in previous years received no raises during 2008. One person reported a salary cut.
Respondents completing the electronicallydistributed questionnaire believe they are underpaid by a median – half more, half less – $7,000, or about 15 percent.
IBNA has regularly surveyed both “working broadcaster” members and non-members since 1987. Low-power college and high school stations are excluded.
Survey participation declines as owners consolidate or eliminate radio news operations. Last year, 24 forms were returned. Nineteen Iowa news professionals responded to this year’s mailings.
Economy is a problem
Many of this year’s respondents listed the “greatest challenge our poor economy is creating” for their broadcast operation. Most requested anonymity.
“The FCC’s mandate to convert to DTV has driven many broadcast companies into bankruptcy,” wrote the news director from a smaller market TV station.
“Broadcast companies borrow millions of dollars to finance the conversion only to have the banking industry go ‘belly up’. Refinancing these loans became impossible.”
A large market radio producer-reporter wrote, “Cuts to our salary. Cuts to the news reporters at other stations we work with regularly. Cuts to the sales staff who sell the product we create. Pressure on advertisers not to spend money on our operation.”
“Finding a revenue model that will allow us to keep reporters on the street to do original reporting,” is KCCI News Director Dave Busiek’s challenge.
“We need to enterprise and find stories that the competition doesn’t have. That takes a certain number of people knocking on doors and generating original content,” he continued. “I don’t want to end up just covering the easy pickings.”
Contact John Lytle at:john.lytle@drake.edu |
