Can young journalists break into Italy's media sector?

Becoming a professional journalist in Italy is a challenging path, especially when you are young and you are still trying to kick off your career. Data from the “Observatory on Journalism 2020”, a report prepared by the Italian National Regulatory Authority in charge of Telecommunications and Media (AGCOM),  shows that the number of young journalists in Italy has considerably decreased over the last two decades. Merely 6% of Italian journalists are under 30 years old, only 23% are between 31 and 40 years old, while the vast majority (around 58%) fall in the 41-60 age group. 

So, what are the reasons behind the almost disappearance of young journalists in the country? One possible explanation is this category's precarious and low-income conditions, especially when looking at the differences between freelancers and regular employees. Freelancers comprise 40% of the total number of Italian journalists, which is usually the category in which young professionals working for new online news outlets fall, and their average income (for 44% of them) is around 5,000 euros or less, with only more than 30% earning between 5,001 and 20,000 euros. In contrast, more than 50% of regularly employed journalists earn between 20,001 to 75,000 euros per year.

The average earnings of Italian freelancers in the journalism sector are also much lower than the average gross income in Italy, which currently amounts to 33,855 euros, as shown by statistics from the “Taxing Wages 2023” report published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Additionally, Borsa&Finanza reports that the estimated average cost of living for a single person in the country can reach over 20,000 euros per year and can reach over 32,000 euros per year for a family, which is much higher than the actual income that Italian freelance journalists would usually earn.

As the Espresso points out, the average pay for an article published in Italian newspapers can be as low as 7 euros, constraining many freelance journalists in the country to struggle to pay for food and rent and, for some of them, like Alessandro Bozzo or Paolo Faggiano, this precarious situation can even lead to the drastic decision of committing suicide.

To help freelancers navigate the media industry, look for new possible collaborations and learn about the expected fee per article paid by different Italian newspapers, the Italian journalists Guia Baggi and Francesco Guidotti created the “Lo Spioncino dei freelance”. It's a website inspired by its French counterpart, “Paye ta Pige,” designed to increase transparency over the compensation of freelance journalists in the national media industry. Besides information on the fees offered by the Italian-language media for articles and other services (e.g., videos, audio materials, etc.), users can also read some comments on the experience with the publication in question.

The observations presented on “Lo Spioncino dei freelance” highlight a rather challenging situation within the Italian media industry. From journalists' testimonials explaining how the compensation per article has decreased over time despite working for the same newspaper for several years, the expectation of including graphics and visual material in the article without being paid for their creation, the lack of consideration for the actual hours of work invested in the production of the specific piece, to delayed transfer of money or payments which never arrived despite several solicitations. Finally, some journalists explained that, in some cases, only contributors writing for certain topics were paid while the others were working for free.

These short testimonials are just an example of the constant challenges freelance journalists have to face when working for Italian media. However, there is also an additional obstacle for those wanting to enter the country's journalism world.

In fact, while most European countries do not impose any special requirements or obligations (e.g. exam, press card etc.) to work as a journalist, in Italy, the situation is rather peculiar. The journalism profession in the country is regulated under the Italian Order of Journalists (Ordine dei Giornalisti, or ODG).

To be recognised as a journalist, you need to apply to join ODG in one of the two distinct categories, professionista (professional journalist) and pubblicisti (publicist), which entail different requirements. Those wanting to register for the first category must complete an 18-month internship, attend recognised journalism schools, and pass a competency exam. Those wishing to register for the second category must prove instead that they have at least two years of continuous paid journalistic experience. 

“The main difficulty is that young people who decide to invest time and resources to gain experience and increase their skills in a voluntary activity related to journalism can't receive any recognition from the state to further progress in this profession as this won’t be counted as working experience to become a publicist or a recognised journalist. Another obstacle, I think, is that people who decide to start this career find it difficult to sustain themselves. The salaries are too low, and the contracts are precarious. So, how can you construct an autonomous and independent life with these premises?,” said Simone Pavesi, Director of National formats of RadUni and former Head of Project of Europhonica.

He also added that volunteering, as he is doing at RadUni, can be constructive and helpful for those wanting to kick off a career path in the communications sector. However, it isn't really beneficial for those who wish to pursue a journalism career due to the requirements imposed by the ODG. In this case, he suggests that they look straight away for paid opportunities, even if it might take a lot of work to find them at the national level. 

“This is only due to the administrative rules that Italy has, not because these voluntary experiences aren't helpful in general. This is truly frustrating, as youth in Italy have the right, like every person in the world, to do what they want to do in their life, be happy and also manage to sustain themselves,”. Pavesi added.

He explained how the situation was different in Strasbourg, when reporting about the European Parliament plenary sessions as part of Europhonica’s team. In fact, in this case “The European Parliament has always considered us as professional journalists, providing us with support and resources even if we were volunteering.”

According to Francesca Festa, Co-Founder of ereb and Sphera Network, in other countries across Europe, such as France, it is easier to kick off your career in the media sector as a young person and as a woman. 

“In France, I had the opportunity to be considered as a young professional. Even as a woman, I still had the chance to enter the system. Being considered not just a young woman but a respected young professional. I felt that my ideas were listened to and that my work was truly valued. This is also because the professional career in France starts earlier. Typically, when you are in your 20s, you are already considered someone who could be established in their career, which is different compared to Italy,” she explained.

That said, finding solutions with passion and determination for the media sector is always possible, both nationally and abroad. “Always reflect on what your ambition is and where you would like to go because the opportunity and the possibilities are out there; you just need to be able to connect the different dots that you have in your path and be able to understand how to reach your goals. Of course, it can be complicated. However, as Italians, we can swiftly adapt to different ecosystems and good communication skills, including the capacity for nonverbal communication, which can significantly bolster our professional versatility,” Festa added.

An excellent place to start is to look at the opportunities for professional development in the journalism and media sector offered at the European level, such as:

These are just some examples of where aspiring journalists could look for opportunities and training to progress in their careers. Additionally, as Festa pointed out, it is crucial to “develop a network that it's not only a national network but rather international.” These contacts will serve to bring forward ideas, get inspired and learn from different perspectives and ways of reporting in different European countries. 

Source of the cover photo: https://unsplash.com