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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.