„Wie ertrage ich Armut mit Würde?“

Rick, Jana und Springer, Nina (2025): „Wie ertrage ich Armut mit Würde?“. In: Publizistik, Bd. 70: S. 337-361

Abstract

Vor dem Hintergrund der Diskussion einer zunehmenden Prekarisierung der Medienbranche nimmt unsere Studie die subjektive Komponente von Prekarität in den Blick und lässt mittels qualitativer Interviews 27 Journalist:innen zu Wort kommen, die sich von prekären Bedingungen betroffen fühlen. Zur Analyse der Wahrnehmung dieser Arbeitsbedingungen nutzen wir das Drei-Zonen-Modell moderner Lohnarbeitsgesellschaft aus der Arbeitssoziologie. Das Modell typologisiert integrierte, prekäre und desintegrierte Beschäftigungsverhältnisse und deren subjektive Bewertung. Wir nutzen Erkenntnisse aus dem Forschungsstand, um zunächst das gesamte Modell auf das Berufsfeld des Journalismus anzuwenden. Anschließend arbeiten wir auf Basis unserer Interviews diejenigen Typen des Modells detaillierter heraus, die von der Zone der Integration in die Zone der Prekarität führen. Die „Verunsicherten“ nehmen trotz einer unbefristeten Vollzeitstelle eine latente Unsicherheit aufgrund von hoher Arbeitsbelastung wahr, während bei den „Abstiegsbedrohten“ das Gefühl der Unsicherheit akut ist. Den Typus der „Hoffenden“ bilden junge Journalist:innen, die Prekarität als Teil der Karriere hinnehmen, und die „Zufriedenen“ können sich aufgrund finanzieller Unterstützung die Unsicherheit ‚leisten‘. Die freiberuflich tätigen „Realistischen“ haben angesichts ihres geringen Einkommens Existenzängste und leben zum Teil in Armut. Unsere Studie macht prekäre Arbeitsbedingungen im Journalismus und ihre problematischen individuellen Konsequenzen sichtbar. Wenn Journalist:innen vor Prekarität aus dem Beruf flüchten, hat das negative Effekte auf die Leistungserbringung und Diversität des Berufsstands.

Abstract

Our study is embedded in the discussion of an increasing precarization of the media industry. The journalistic profession is vulnerable to atypical forms of employment, exposing journalists to precarious working conditions. So far, journalism research has primarily focused on structural data on the working situations of journalists. However, precarity entails not merely objective disadvantages but also the subjective perception of powerlessness in relation to working conditions. Thus, our study focuses on the subjective component of precarity in journalism. We use Castel and Dörre’s Three-Zone Model of modern labor as a conceptual framework and adapt it to the context of journalism. The theoretical model presents a typology of integrated, precarious, and disintegrated employment forms and their subjective evaluation.

Between March and May 2022, we conducted 27 qualitative interviews with journalists in Germany to explore how they perceive their precarious work life. We interviewed 17 freelance journalists, eight journalists with full-time positions (five of them were permanently employed), and two part-time news workers (one of which was on a permanent contract). Interviewees’ ages varied from 30 to 66 years, and they worked for different types of media such as daily newspapers, broadcasting media and online media. The interviews were analyzed using a category-guided content analysis and were assigned to various types in the Three-Zone Model that range from the zone of integration to the zone of precarity.

The analysis shows that journalists perceive precarity in many different ways. The Insecure perceive latent insecurity due to a high workload despite having a permanent full-time position. As one journalist told us: “It is expected that the job comes first, everything else comes after.” The situations of these journalists make clear that precarity is also perceived in employment positions that are formally secure. The Threatened experience acute feelings of insecurity, for example, due to a sudden decrease in assignments during the COVID-19 pandemic. These interviews demonstrate that despite its systemic relevance, the journalism profession cannot be considered crisis-proof. The Hopeful, young journalists, feel insecure about their future but accept precarity as part of their career. They work in atypical forms of employment and hope to be rewarded with a secure position through their commitment and motivation. Nevertheless, some of those young journalists set themselves a deadline for how long they will endure this phase of hopefulness and have a plan B for their career. The Satisfied can afford the insecurity due to financial support, i.e., through their partner or heritage. These journalists are aware that the additional security can be seen as a privilege and that they are dependent on others. Last but not least, self-employed Realists experience existential fears due to low journalistic income and/or their higher age. Some of these freelancing journalists live in poverty and have difficulties making ends meet. In the words of one of our interviewees: “How do I bear poverty with dignity? … Just as I have learned to talk about my unemployment benefits now” (freelance journalist in her late forties). With six journalists currently transitioning out of journalism at the time of the interview, we advocate for an expansion of the typology to encompass the category of exiting the profession (the Switchers).

Our findings also reveal the need to differentiate between the precarious situation of freelance and salaried journalists. Whilst the former often define precarity on a material level, precarity for permanent employees is primarily expressed in insecurities that result from conditions in their employment contracts and work overload. Furthermore, the perception of precarious employment differs depending on the age of journalists: Older journalists we spoke to perceive their age as a major factor of uncertainty, as it restricts their chances in the job market and increases the need for security. Conversely, younger journalists tend to belong to the Hopeful type, as they attempt to identify opportunities within precarious employment and view insecurity as a natural part of their career.

Our study demonstrates that journalism research can benefit from concepts of the sociology of work. The results of the analysis shed light on precarious working conditions in journalism and their problematic individual and sociopolitical consequences. If journalists escape from precarity, this has negative effects on their job performance and the diversity of the profession. Thus, we express the concern that journalism may no longer be able to fulfill its democratic functions. The results are alarming, as precarious conditions impact the quality of journalistic products. At the same time, we argue that precarity research in journalism contributes to making journalistic working conditions visible. As stated by the journalists in our study, they often cannot draw attention to the deficiencies within their profession themselves: “The precarious journalists remain invisible. You can only see the successful ones who earn a lot of money.”

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Sozialwissenschaften > Institut für Kommunikationswissenschaft und Medienforschung (IfKW)
• Themengebiete: 300 Sozialwissenschaften > 360 Soziale Probleme, Sozialdienste ; 300 Sozialwissenschaften > 380 Handel, Kommunikation, Verkehr
• ISSN: 0033-4006
• Sprache: Deutsch
• DFG: Gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - 423389347