____________________________Sections / Links______
_______________________________________________
Beyond satisfaction: Journalists doubt career intentions as organizational support diminishes and job satisfaction declines
Scott Reinardy, Ph.D.
Ball State University
Department of Journalism
Tel: (765) 285-8692
Fax: (765) 285-7997
Manuscript accepted for presentation by the Media Management and Economics Division at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication convention in Washington, D.C., August 2007.
__________________________________________________________________________
Abstract
A survey (N = 715) examined organizational and life issues that affect overall job satisfaction of daily newspaper journalists. The Herzberg motivational-hygiene theory is used to examine motivational (perceived organizational support; social support) and hygiene factors (work-family conflict; role overload; job demands) that affect overall job satisfaction. Results indicate that perceived organizational support and social support create satisfaction, and work-family conflict, role overload and job demands influence dissatisfaction. Additionally, 25.7 percent of journalists in this study said they intend to leave newspaper journalism. Open-ended responses indicated that the primarily reasons for leaving include industry issues/job satisfaction. In essence, the tangential elements that tend to wear on journalists – deadlines, long hours, clashes between work and family – appear to take their toll and create dissatisfaction but are not driving journalists from the workforce. Primarily, journalists intending to leave the profession are frustrated with fundamental issues that comprise an enjoyable work environment – support and encouragement.
__________________________________________________________________________
Following the suicide of a foreign correspondent, an editorial in the Dec. 1, 1935, issue of The Guild Reporter attempted to summarize the highs and lows of journalism. The editorial said that while reporters “share the exciting adventures and power of the people they write about, their spirits are high. But when the shot in the arm ends, too often they have no other resources or satisfactions left and life seems unbearably flat” (Lee, 1937, p. 603).
In the 70 years since that description of journalists and their work, studies have demonstrated that job satisfaction is far more complex than simply the thrill of chasing a good story (Johnstone, Slawski and Bowman, 1976; Weaver and Wilhoit, 1996; McQuarrie, 1999; Smucker, Whisenant and Pedersen, 2003; Hardin and Shain, 2005; Underwood and Bagwell, 2006). Previous job satisfaction research among journalists has emphasized demographic variables such as age, experience and gender, or tangible elements such as work conditions, salary and promotions (Johnstone, Slawski and Bowman, 1976; Weaver and Wilhoit, 1996; Smucker, Whisenant, Pedersen, 2003; Beam, 2006).
In their extensive study on job satisfaction, Herzberg, Mausner and Snyderman (1959) developed the Herzberg motivation-hygiene theory. The motivation-hygiene theory establishes the premise that job satisfaction and dissatisfaction are separate elements determined by intrinsic and extrinsic influences. Herzberg et al. hypothesized that intrinsic or motivational elements, such as recognition or achievement, are instrumental in motivating workers to do the work, and are directly connected to job satisfaction. Extrinsic or hygiene factors, such as salary or company policy, are instrumental in job dissatisfaction.
Journalism has been described as a noble profession practiced by individuals of high integrity (Weaver and Wilhoit, 1996; Mott, 1962). Journalistic obligations include accuracy, informing the public, providing balance in coverage and embracing the role of governmental watchdog (Becker, Sobowale and Cobbey, 1979; Pew Research Center, 1999). Journalists take pride in their work and view their jobs as exciting (Pew Research Center, 1999). Frank Luther Mott (1962) said the professional spirit hinges upon “devotion to service…attention to the adequate preparation of its practitioners… and adherence to certain standards. In theory, the professional man places service above personal gain” (p. 863).
While “service above personal gain” certainly is an unselfish and righteous gesture, how does it translate when personal life collides with professional work? What happens to a journalist who embraces the principles of the profession but struggles to balance those obligations with other variables such as work overload, conflict with family, and social support? And when that collision occurs, what happens to job satisfaction?
Unlike previous studies, this study will not examine the specific work of journalists but explore the environment in which they do the work. Although this study will examine workload and job demands of newspaper journalists, the primary focus will entail personal elements that influence job satisfaction – conflict between work and family, organizational support to conduct the work, social support from those surrounding the journalist, work overload, and job demands among employees. The Herzberg motivation-hygiene theory will direct the intrinsic and extrinsic elements that affect job satisfaction.
Herzberg (1968) later determined that the kick in the ass (KITA) approach – such as salary increase, fringe benefits programs and time reduction at work – are merely short-term solutions to promoting job satisfaction. Studies have shown that employee dissatisfied can lead to burnout (Baruch-Feldman, Brondolo, Ben-Dayan and Schwartz, 2002), absenteeism, and job turnover (Liu, Spector and Jex, 2005), all costly propositions for any organization. For newspaper journalism managers, reaching beyond tangible motivations, or the KITA approach, will assist in developing a long-term satisfaction program for their employees.
__________________________________________________________________________
Literature Review
Journalism job satisfaction studies have been conducted for more than 45 years. A migration of newspaper journalists to other careers prompted Samuelson (1962) to assist in the development of a measuring instrument to examine 13 attitudinal areas of satisfaction. The study involved 223 journalism graduates who had worked at a newspaper between 1950 and 1961. Of the 223 respondents, 72 had changed careers. Samuelson reported that journalists at larger newspapers (50,000 circulation or more) were less satisfied than those at smaller newspapers; salary did not influence level of satisfaction; those with at least four years experience were more satisfied in their personal duties; and older journalists (35 and older) with two or more dependents saw more future in the job.
Samuelson (1962) also reported that the journalists who left the profession said there was not much future in it as a career; poor leadership in editorial roles; and low pay. Samuelson said that the turnover of editorial staff was between 10 and 20 percent each year. He wrote: “Because finding adequate replacements for the departed staffers has become more difficult, newspapers are paying attention to the turnover of editorial workers.”
Johnstone, Slawski and Bowman (1971) conducted their seminal study involving more than 1,300 journalists. Johnstone et al. compared two groups (under 40; 40 and older) and examined satisfaction in terms of professional standards, editorial constraints, concrete rewards, such as salary, gender, and education. The study demonstrated that journalistic standards are correlated to satisfaction; older journalists are more accepting of editorial constraints such as deadlines, editing and story selection; low salaries cause dissatisfaction among younger journalists; and women are more satisfied in their work than men. Johnstone et al. concluded that between 20 and 25 percent of young journalists question their professional commitment. They wrote: “Moreover, dissatisfaction within this group does not seem to stem from economic opportunities, but job dissatisfaction for many young newsmen has to do more with professional considerations – discrepancies between journalistic ideals and day-to-day practices” (p. 154).
Overall, of the 1,300-plus journalists in the study, Johnstone et al. reported that in five years, 82.8 percent expected to be working in news media. Also, 48.8 percent said they were “very satisfied” in their jobs and 38.6 percent said they were “fairly (moderately) satisfied.”
For nearly three decades, building upon the work of Johnstone, et al. (1971), Weaver and Wilhoit have examined job satisfaction among journalists, beginning with their 1982-83 study involving 1,001 newsroom workers. In the decade since the Johnstone et al. (1971) study, job satisfaction among journalists dropped substantially with 40 percent saying they were “very satisfied” with their jobs. For young journalists (40 and under) in the Weaver and Wilhoit (1986) study, a major prediction of satisfaction was their perception of how well their news organization was informing the public.
Weaver and Wilhoit’s findings diverted from Johnstone et al.’s in one primary area – salary. Income for young journalists was no longer a predictor of satisfaction. As for older journalists, salary was still a predictor of satisfaction, but the relationship was not as strong as earlier studies. Other predictors of the satisfaction in the Weaver and Wilhoit (1986) study were frequent communication with supervisors and the esteem of the organization. Weaver and Wilhoit wrote: “Professionalism factors on the job – such as the importance of autonomy and the estimate of how well the employing organization is doing in informing the public – appear to have become stronger predictors of work satisfaction” (p. 101).
In terms of leaving the field, there was little overall change between the Johnstone et al. study and Weaver and Wilhoit’s. In the 1982-83 study, 82.6 percent said they expected to be working in the news media in five years. Overall, journalists who had intentions of leaving said salary and benefits were the primary reasons.
By 1992, Weaver and Wilhoit (1996) discovered a major shift in journalists and job satisfaction. They reported that 27.3 percent of journalists said they were “very satisfied” with their work. In two decades since the Johnstone et al. (1971) study, satisfaction had declined more than 47 percent. Meanwhile, 50 percent said they were “fairly satisfied,” which was up from the Johnstone et al. study where 39 percent responded “fairly satisfied.”
In the previous studies (Johnstone et al., 1971; Weaver and Wilhoit, 1986), 61 percent of people said “helping people” was “very important” in terms of job satisfaction. By 1992, “editorial policy” had moved to the top of the list with 69 percent. Weaver and Wilhoit attributed the shift to more stringent news policies on journalists’ autonomy. While autonomy and impacting the community still rated high among satisfied journalists, management policies, low salaries and inadequate advancement opportunities created dissatisfaction. Weaver and Wilhoit (1996) said diminished autonomy cannot be attributed to corporate ownership or lack of resources but to “internal, organizational factors” (p. 118). They also said salaries were not a factor in the attitudinal shift. However, they wrote:
Journalists in 1992 appeared to want to lead normal lives. They were less willing to suffer the dislocation and unpredictable schedules that were accepted by an earlier generation, especially in a competitive environment in which newsrooms were expected to do much more with fewer resources, and where there was little hope of professional advancement in an era of stalled growth (p. 118-119).
The number of journalists with intentions to leave the industry within five years also increased to 21 percent overall – double the 1982-83 study (Weaver and Wilhoit, 1996).
The 2002 Weaver, Beam, Brownlee, Voakes and Wilhoit (2007) study showed an increase in job satisfaction. Of the 1,149 journalists, 33.3 percent said they were “very satisfied” with their work and more than 50 percent said they were “fairly satisfied.” For the 445 daily newspaper journalists in the study, 82.7 percent were either very or fairly satisfied. Once again, autonomy to select story assignments and choose what to emphasize in those stories was closely associated with job satisfaction. Also, journalists who said their news organization was doing an “outstanding” or “very good” job of informing the public demonstrated high levels of satisfaction.
Another shift in the 2002 study was the intentions of journalists to leave the news media within five years. Weaver et al. (2007) reported that 17.2 percent expressed intentions to leave, which was down about 20 percent from the 1992 study. Reasons for leaving included pay, job security, stress and burnout, and an unfavorable work environment, such as deadlines and hours. Weaver et al. (2007) wrote:
Despite the fact that job satisfaction rose over all, women journalists rated their level of satisfaction below that of men, and the youngest journalists – those under 25 – tended to be considerably more pleased with their jobs than journalists in the next age group, the 25-34-year-old. Given the close connection between job satisfaction and intent to leave the profession, media managers should be concerned about these gaps (p. 124).
The work of Weaver, Wilhoit and their fellow authors has been the benchmark of job satisfaction research among journalists for the past 25 years. They based job satisfaction upon a single survey question: “All things considered, how satisfied are you with your present job – would you say very satisfied, fairly satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied or very dissatisfied” (Weaver, et al., 2007, p. 264; Weaver and Wilhoit, 1996, pg. 257; Weaver and Wilhoit, 1986, p. 175).
In implementing a portion of the Michigan Organizational Assessment Questionnaire developed by Cammann, Fichman, Jenkins and Klesh (1983), this study will examine journalists’ perceptions of job satisfaction from a broader foundation established by Weaver and Wilhoit. Cammann et al. developed the instrument to measure six models designed to provide information concerning the perceptions of individuals in an organization. The models include general attitudes (including the subcategory job satisfaction); job facets; task, job, and role characteristics; work group functioning; supervision; and pay.
Cammann et al. (1983) said the MOAQ was created to measure individual attitudes in an organization as part of a larger organizational analysis. The information gathered at the individual level allows for a complete assessment of an organization to assist in a thorough analysis.
Building upon the theoretical framework established by Hackman and Oldham (1976), Cammann et al. (1983) developed the MOAQ during a four-year period in which they tested the models based upon more than 400 respondents in at least three different organizations. Overall Job Satisfaction was established “to provide an indication of the organization members’ overall affective responses to their jobs” (p. 80). It is a three-question set to be answered on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 7 = strongly agree). The questions include: “All in all, I am satisfied with my job;” “In general, I don’t like my job” (reverse coding); and “In general, I like working here” (p. 84). Cammann et al. report an internal consistency reliability at .77.
Harrison (1994) writes that the MOAQ is “the most useful and comprehensive standardized instrument” in measuring individual performance and quality of work life issues (p. 71). The MOAQ has been utilized to assess job satisfaction in a multitude of studies, including the examination of white-collar employees, including editors (Chen and Spector, 1992), state government employees (Carlson and Kacmar, 2000), state civil service employees from a university (Liu, Spector and Jex, 2005), non-faculty university employees (Jex and Gudanowski, 1992), traffic enforcement agents (Baruch-Feldman and Schwartz, 2002), and newspaper sports editors (Reinardy, 2007).
Along with the MOAQ to measure job satisfaction, diagnostic tools regarding perceived organizational support, role overload, job demands, work-family conflict and social support will also be implemented.
__________________________________________________________________________
Measurements
Perceived Organizational Support
Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison and Sowa (1986) developed the measurement of perceived organizational support (POS) in an effort to examine the organizational commitment of the employee. Eisenberger et al. wanted to measure employees’ individual dedication to their employers and the elements that influence dedication. While economic or emotional ties to an organization have been the basis of previous studies, Eisenberger et al.’s POS research emphasized an organization’s treatment of an employee and how employees perceive that treatment.
During the past 20 years, Eisenberger et al’s POS scale has been used in more than 70 studies (Rhodes & Eisenberger, 2002).
Work-Family Conflict
With the increase in dual-family careers during the past 25 years, Eby, Casper, Lockwood, Bordeaux and Brinley (2005) reviewed 190 work-family studies and determined that work-family conflict increases stress and reduces career satisfaction.
Understanding that work-family conflict (WFC) can result in job dissatisfaction, burnout, job turnover and possibly reduction in worker productivity, Netemeyer, Boles and McMurrian (1996) developed a short, valid instrument to measure WFC. In their study, Netemeyer et al. (1996) defined WFC as, “A form of interrole conflict in which the general demands of, time devoted to, and strain created by the job interfere with performing family-related responsibilities” (p. 401).
Role Overload
In an attempt to differentiate between the role stressors of role overload and role conflict, Bucharach, Bamberger and Conley (1990) refined the role overload scale tested by Beehr, Walsh and Taber (1976). Beehr et al. defined role overload as, “having too much work to do in the time available” (p. 42). Bucharach et al. defined role overload as “the professional’s perception that he or she is unable to complete assigned tasks effectively due to time limitations (i.e., the conflict between time and organizational demands concerning the quantity of work to be done)” (p. 202).
Social Support
Caplan, Cobb, French, Harrison and Pinneau (1980) launched a broad-based study that included 23 occupations and more than 2,000 employees to examine social support. Caplan et al. (1980) outlined two kinds of social support: “(1) Tangible help, such as medical services and financial aid, and (2) emotional support such as love, affection, sympathy, understanding, friendship, intimacy, etc. provided by another person or group” (p. 4). Caplan et al. (1980) wrote: “Generally speaking, social support seems to act as a buffer between job stress and strain: men who have high social support from others in their work environment show no effects of stress on strain” (p. 13).
Job Demands
Karasek (1979) developed the job demand-control (JDC) measure to assess the effects of job stress on the physical health of workers. The seven-question scale examines job stressors and is based on two critical aspects: job demand (workload in terms of time pressure and role conflict) and job control (employees ability to control his or her work activities).
Herzberg motivation-hygiene theory
In Herzberg et al.’s (1959) motivator-hygiene theory, job satisfaction and dissatisfaction are treated as separate entities influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The six intrinsic factors, or motivators, include achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, advancement, and growth. The 10 extrinsic, or hygiene factors, that can lead to job dissatisfaction include company policy and administration, supervision, relationship with supervisor, work conditions, salary, relationships with peers, personal life, relationships with subordinates, status, and security. Herzberg (1968) writes: “The opposite of job satisfaction is not job dissatisfaction but, rather, no job satisfaction; and similarly, the opposite of job dissatisfaction is not job satisfaction, but no job dissatisfaction” (p. 56).
The Herzberg motivation-hygiene theory dismisses the traditional notion that intrinsic issues such as a salary increase, an enjoyable supervisor or acceptable company policy increases an employee’s job satisfaction. Instead, the theory contends that factors such as enjoyment in the work itself and recognition for good work influence satisfaction.
Herzberg et al.’s two-factor theory is considered the most influential in terms of studying job satisfaction and motivation (Hackman, 1980). It has been utilized to examine satisfaction among engineers and accountants (Herzberg, et al., 1959); non-academic university employees (Smerek and Peterson, 2007); elementary school teachers (Knoop, 1994); elementary school principals (Gaziel, 1986); and journalists (Shaver, 1978).
Shaver (1978) substantiated the motivational-hygiene theory with his findings that of the 235 news-editorial and advertising graduations, five of the six satisfiers were attributed to job satisfaction, including “having the opportunity to grow professionally, feeling a sense of responsibility, engaging in stimulating and challenging work, successfully coping with tasks and problems, and receiving praise for work. (p. 58). Shaver also said the hygiene factors contributed to job dissatisfaction, just as Herzberg had hypothesized, and included the hygiene “salary” as the dissatisfier mentioned most.
This study will examine several issues to determine the motivators and hygiene factors of job satisfaction among newspaper journalists. The motivators include perceived organizational support (achievement) and social support (interpersonal relations – peers), while role overload (working conditions), work-family conflict (factors in personal life) and job demands (working conditions) will be the hygiene factors.
__________________________________________________________________________
In implementing the motivational-hygiene theory to examine job satisfaction among newspaper journalists, several research questions and hypotheses have been developed:
RQ1: How will the variables overall job satisfaction, work-family conflict, role overload, social support, job demands and perceived organizational support correlate?
RQ2: How will journalists rate on the MOAQ’s job satisfaction scale?
H1: Journalists who report high levels of Herzberg’s motivators (perceived organizational support and social support) will report high levels of overall job satisfaction.
H2: Journalists who report high levels of Herzberg’s hygienes (role overload, work-family conflict and job demands) will report high levels of overall job dissatisfaction.
H3: Journalists who rate lower in overall job satisfaction and the Herzberg’s motivation factors are more likely to express intentions to leave journalism than those who rate high in job satisfaction and motivation factors.
__________________________________________________________________________
Methodology
E-mail addresses from 1,452 U.S. daily newspapers were collected from The Editor & Publisher International Yearbook (2006). The contacts were mostly editors or managing editors, who then received an e-mail in January 2007 that explained the study and requested the staff e-mail lists of their full-time newspaper employees. Because some newspapers did not list an e-mail address for an editor or managing editor in the E&P Yearbook, the recruitment e-mail was sent to a general news mailbox.
Of the 1,452 e-mails, 338 were dead accounts. Of the remaining 1,114 newspapers, representatives from 74 responded and provided access to their staff e-mail lists. A database of 2,791 e-mail addresses of newsroom journalists was created.
Six sections were included in the 73-question Web survey but only five of those sections will be examined in this study. Those sections include job satisfaction, work and family life, job demands, social support and background. The “job satisfaction” section included the three-question MOAQ job satisfaction scale, and nine-question perceived organizational support scale, which asked respondents to answer using a Likert-type scale (1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree). The “work and family life” section included the five-question work-family conflict scale, which used a Likert-type scale (1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree). The seven-question “job demands” section asked respondents to respond on a Likert-type scale (1 = never to 5 = extremely often). The “social support” section included the 12-question social support scale (1 = not at all to 4 very much) and the three-question role overload scale (1 = definitely false to 4 = definitely true). In the final section, “background,” demographic information was collected, including gender, age, journalism experience, job title, race, newspaper circulation size, salary, marital status, parental responsibilities, intention to leave journalism and work hours per week. Questions about newsroom staff reductions within the past year, online responsibilities, intentions to leave journalism and newspaper ownership group were included in this section as well.
In February 2007, 2,791 full-time newspaper journalists were sent an explanatory e-mail and a Web link to the voluntary and anonymous survey, which was made available on freeonlinesurvey.com. After discarding 120 dead e-mail accounts, the sample was reduced to 2,671. The respondents received a reminder e-mail in March 2007.
Of the 2,671 journalists, 715 completed the survey for a response rate of 26.7 percent, which aligns with Web survey response rates in other studies (Reinardy, 2006; Asch, as cited in Schonlau, Fricker & Elliott, 2002; Jones & Pitt, 1999).
__________________________________________________________________________
Results
Mean substitution was implemented to replace missing values in the data set of 715 respondents, but no more than 3 percent of any variable was replaced.
Descriptive statistics determined that the respondents averaged 41.6 years old, had 17.8 years of journalism experience, earned an average of $48,497, worked at a newspaper with an average circulation of 183,500 and worked on average 45.7 hours per week. A large majority of the respondents were Caucasian (90.9 percent), 57.6 percent were male, 59 percent were married and 49.7 percent had children. Job titles were collapsed into categories to establish more generalized results. For instance, a reporter of any kind – cops, business, feature, sports, etc. – was collapsed into an overall “reporter” category. The new groups included reporters (44.8 percent), news editors (23.5 percent), copy editors/page designers (13.6 percent), executive/managing editors (9 percent) and photographers (6.6 percent).
Correlations were conducted to answer RQ1 (see Table 1). Overall job satisfaction had a strong, positive and significant correlation to perceived organizational support (.70) and a moderate, positive and significant correlation to social support (.46), but a small, negative and significant relationship to work-family conflict (-.26), job demands (-.27) and role overload (-.27). Perceived organizational support had a moderate, positive and significant relationship to social support (.52), but a small, negative and significant relationship to work-family conflict (-.22), job demands (-.28) and role overload (-.27). Work-family conflict had a moderate, positive and significant correlation to job demands (.44) and role overload (.42), and a small, negative and significant relationship to social support (-.23). Job demands had a small, negative and significant correlation to social support (-.24) but a strong, positive and significant relationship to role overload (.76).
Mean scores were examined to answer RQ2, which asked how journalists will rate on the MOAQ overall job satisfaction scale. Cammann, Fichman, Jenkins and Klesh’s (1983) overall job satisfaction scale was established to determine individual attitudes in organizations and they did not provide a raw scale for determining satisfaction. However, in this study journalists had a mean score of 15.7 out of a possible 21. Sports editors (16.2) (Reinardy, 2007) and state government employees (16.1) (Carlson & Kacmar, 2000) have demonstrated higher levels of job satisfaction while state civil service employees (14.4) (Liu, Spector & Jex, 2005) and 400 employees from 16 different occupations (14.0) (Chen & Spector, 1992) have reported lower.
Multiple regression analysis was utilized to examine H1, which states that journalists who report high levels of motivators (perceived organizational support and social support) will report high levels of overall job satisfaction. When job satisfaction was the dependent variable, perceived organizational support and social support accounted for 50 percent of the variance (adjusted r-square = .50), F(2, 713) = 352.27, p < .001. Perceived organizational support was a positive, significant predictor of job satisfaction, t(713) = 19.99, p < .001, as was social support, t(713) = 4.55, p < .001. Therefore, H1 was supported.
H2 states that journalists with high levels of hygienes (role overload, work-family conflict and job demands) will report high levels of job dissatisfaction, and was tested using multiple regression analysis. Role overload, work-family conflict and job demands accounted for 10 percent of the variance (adjusted r-square = .10), F(3,712) = 27.06, p < .001. Work-family conflict was a positive, significant predictor of job dissatisfaction, t(712) = 4.00, p < .001, as was job demands, t(712) = 2.21, p < .05, but role overload was not a significant predictor. Therefore, H2 was partially supported.
An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test H3, which states that journalists who rate lower in overall job satisfaction and the Herzberg’s motivation factors (perceived organizational support and social support) are more likely to express intentions to leave journalism than those who rate high in job satisfaction and motivation factors. Respondents were asked, “Do you have intention of leaving newspaper journalism?” and could respond “yes,” “no,” or “don’t know.” Overall, 25.7 percent answered “yes” and 38.1 percent said “no.” The results of the ANOVA indicate significant differences between the “yes” and “no” groups in terms of the motivator perceived organizational support, F (2, 671) = 43.24, p < .001. Those intending to leave journalism have a lower rate of perceived organizational support (M = 32.69; SD = 13.27) than those intending to stay (M = 44.22; SD = 12.86). Also, there are significant differences between the groups when analyzing the motivator social support, F (2, 671) = 18.51, p < .001. Journalists intending to leave journalism have lower rates of social support (M = 35.16; SD = 5.67) than those who are not intending to leave (M = 38.37; SD = 5.86). H3 was supported.
Additionally, there were significant differences between journalists who said they were expecting to leave journalism and those who were not on the variables job satisfaction and the hygienes work-family conflict, job demands and role overload. Journalists intending to leave had significantly lower rates of job satisfaction but significantly higher rates of work-family conflict, job demands and role overload.
A follow-up open-ended question asked: “If you are intending to leave newspaper journalism, what would be the reason(s) for leaving?” The 381 responses of those considering leaving newspaper were coded into six categories: industry issues/job satisfaction; salary; pressure/stress/burnout; family issues; retirement; and other. Some individuals gave more than one response, therefore 441 responses were coded. Respondents said “industry issues/job satisfaction” was the primarily reason for wanting to leave journalism, accounting for 30.2 percent of the comments. Salary was second with 27 percent, and pressure/stress/burnout was third at 15.9 percent (see Table 2).
Although some journalists made references to the troublesome industry and the uncertain future of newspapers, the primary reason for leaving journalism was the concern about the quality of journalism. One wrote: “It’s rice-paddy journalism; it looks nice, it takes up a lot of space, and it’s ½ an inch deep.” Another wrote: “The majority of mainstream coverage is frivolous and mind-numbing… I became a journalist to help people and try to make a difference – naïve goals I’ve since learned cannot be accomplished in this corporate controlled, politically manipulated medium.” One journalist wrote: “ Declining values in journalism. The field is becoming more entertainment oriented.” Another wrote: “Our reporters spend more time trying to get faces and names in the paper than in covering news that is important to our readers and the community.” And another wrote: “Tired of the newsroom politics and industry’s move toward ‘less intelligent’ journalism to earn more profits.”
Several journalists cited management as their reason for discontent with the profession. One wrote: “It’s all corporate bean-counting, now.” Another wrote: “Management has made a series of poor decisions about running the newsroom that have led to a parade of talented people to leave.” And another wrote: “Management’s dedication to quality missing.” Other journalists mentioned that management failed to appreciate their work or award credit for a job done well.
__________________________________________________________________________
Conclusions
The purpose of this study was to examine job satisfaction of newspaper journalists and elements that influence satisfaction, including perceived organizational support, social support, work-family conflict, job demands and role overload. Incorporating the intrinsic and extrinsic elements of the Herzberg motivation-hygiene theory provides additional perspective into journalists’ satisfaction.
Results indicate that motivation factors such as perceived organizational support and social support are significant predictors of job satisfaction. The hypothesis that hygiene factors, such as work-family conflict, job demands and role overload are significant predictors of job dissatisfaction was partially supported. Additionally, low levels of perceived organizational support and social support were significant among journalists who indicated they intend to leave newspaper journalism. Also, for those intending to leave journalism, significant levels of work-family conflict, job demands and role overload were prevalent.
Herzberg et al.’s (1959) motivation-hygiene theory says intrinsic factors or motivators, such as achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, advancement and growth are the lynchpins to job satisfaction. The Herzberg theory states that the lack of intrinsic factors does not create job dissatisfaction but results in no satisfaction at all.
This study supports Herzberg’s theory. As motivators, perceived organizational support and social support played a significant role for those journalists who were satisfied with their work. For those who experienced job dissatisfaction, extrinsic factors or hygienes, such as work-family conflict and job demands, were prevalent.
In addition, compared to previous work (Weaver and Wilhoit, 1982; Weaver and Wilhoit, 1996; Weaver, Beam, Brownlee, Voakes and Wilhoit, 2007), a higher percentage of journalists in this study (25.7) said they had intentions of leaving the profession. And, 36.2 percent responded “don’t know,” which means nearly 62 percent were uncertain of their future in journalism.
In further support of the Herzberg theory, journalists’ comments about why they have intentions of leaving the profession were rather revealing. Industry issues/job satisfaction, considered an intrinsic factor, was the No. 1 response. Clearly, journalists with intentions of leaving the profession have become disillusioned with their work and the state of the industry. Several respondents vented about diminished journalistic standards infiltrating the profession. They said journalistic integrity has been sacrificed for increased profit and efforts to bolster readership.
This study also examined underlying principles that contribute to job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Work-family conflict, job demands and role overload are significant predictors of dissatisfaction, while perceived organizational support and social support were significant predictors of satisfaction. In essence, the tangential elements that tend to wear on journalists – deadlines, long hours, clashes between work and family – appear to take their toll and create dissatisfaction. But, in alignment with Herzberg’s theory, dissatisfaction factors are not driving journalists from the workforce. Primarily, journalists intending to leave the profession are frustrated with fundamental issues that comprise an enjoyable work environment – support and encouragement.
Although “salary” was the second most common reason journalists want to leave the profession, financial rewards -- established as a Herzberg “hygiene” – will not provide long-term solutions in diminishing dissatisfaction. However, improving the work environment, and the work itself, will provide the groundwork for satisfaction. Herzberg (1968) wrote: “The very nature of motivators, as opposed to hygiene factors, is that they have a much longer-term effect on employees’ attitudes” (p. 62).
There are several limitations to this study, including sample selection. Because it was left to newsrooms to provide e-mail lists of their staffs, the sample was not random. However, with 715 respondents from a variety of newspapers throughout the U.S., the sample does allow for some generalizability of the results. Another limitation is the Web survey method. Despite direct e-mailing, it’s still uncertain who is completing the survey. Additionally, research suggests that respondents do not always provide honest answers but sometimes mark the expected answers to survey questions.
Despite the limitations, this study provides insight into the elements that affect job satisfaction among newspaper journalists. For newspaper management, keeping employees satisfied is essential in preventing burnout, absenteeism and job turnover. With so many journalists examining options outside the industry, attempts to curtail the exodus would appear prudent.
In previous studies, autonomy to select and report stories, helping people, editorial policy and the esteem of the newspaper contributed to job satisfaction, while salary, benefits, job security and an unfavorable work environment instigated job dissatisfaction (Weaver and Wilhoit, 1996). This study takes that premise one step further. A lack of motivators can lead to a lack of job satisfaction, and a lack of satisfaction can result in journalists leaving the profession. If, as the open-ended responses indicate, there’s a collapse in organizational support because of decaying industry standards, the exodus of journalists is just beginning. While journalists might continue to forge forward despite workload, deadlines and salary issues, they will not stand by as the foundation of journalism crumbles beneath them. At that point, they will quit.
__________________________________________________________________________
Table 1.
Correlations for variables used in this study
Job Perceived Work-Family Job Social Role
Sat. Org. Support Conflict Demand Support Overload
Job --
Sat.
N = 715
Perceived .695* --
Org. Support
N = 715
Work-Family -.258** -.223** --
Conflict
N = 715
Job -.272** -.284** .436** --
Demand
N = 715
Social .464** .519** -.231** -.236** --
Support
N = 715
Role -.265** -.269** .420** .759** -.194** --
Overload
N = 715
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level
* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level
Table 2.
Journalists’ intentions to leave the profession
Intentions to leave newspaper journalism
N = 674
Journalists Overall
Percentage
Yes 173 25.7
No 257 38.1
Don’t know 244 36.2
Reasons for possibly leaving journalism
Industry issues/job satisfaction 30.2%
Salary 27%
Pressure/stress/burnout 15.9%
Family issues 8.1%
Retirement 6.8%
Other 12%