Underpaying journalists the root of most of its problems
Despite making up most of the workforce, female journalists in New Zealand are being paid significantly less than their male colleagues, according to a new study.
The survey, part of the 2016 Worlds of Journalism Study, shows the median after-tax salary of female journalists was 26 per cent lower than that of men of equal rank and experience.
The research, made up of interviews of 539 Kiwi journalists, found women were also disadvantaged in terms of promotion, with only half of men working in non-management roles, while two-thirds of women hold non-management roles.
The survey also found journalists in New Zealand feel they are working longer hours, and are under more pressure, both ethically and resource-wise, than two years ago.
“It is concerning that journalists feel these changes have affected news quality, with a perception that the credibility of journalism, ethical standards and freedom to make editorial decisions have all fallen,” study lead and Massey University head of journalism James Hollings said.
So if journalists themselves feel the news quality has dropped, that their credibility is lower, that their ethics are eroding and that they are just cogs in the machine, who is really responsible for this? Read more »

As much at home writing editorials as being the subject of them, Cam has won awards, including the Canon Media Award for his work on the Len Brown/Bevan Chuang story. When he’s not creating the news, he tends to be in it, with protagonists using the courts, media and social media to deliver financial as well as death threats.
They say that news is something that someone, somewhere, wants kept quiet. Cam Slater doesn’t do quiet and, as a result, he is a polarising, controversial but highly effective journalist who takes no prisoners.
He is fearless in his pursuit of a story.
Love him or loathe him, you can’t ignore him.
To read Cam’s previous articles click on his name in blue.