Written By: Maggie Brown ( maggiethe_journalist)

With the recent influx of layoffs across many newsrooms, others are starting to question their future as professional journalists working for large companies.

Last week, Sports Illustrated announced their decision to cut more than half the jobs in their newsroom, and now companies such as NBC News plus the L.A. Times have joined them as the latest companies that plan to layoff journalists.

According to foxbusiness.com, ” The L.A. Times Guild wrote that the staffing cuts were the result of the absence of a publisher, “middling strategy,” and “no clear direction.”

It is estimated that the L.A. Times will lay off approximately 115 people in this round of job cuts which is the largest in the newspapers 142 year history.

The L.A. Times Guild said in a statement, ” this has been gutting. But the Guild will not be deterred or intimidated. We will continue to fight for our members and the future of the Los Angeles Times.”

According to bls.gov, the projected job outlook for careers in the field of media and journalism in 2022 was 58, 500, but within the next 10 years, we could see as much as a 3% decline or roughly 1,900 cuts.

The widespread layoffs in the field of journalism present a formidable challenge to the industry’s vitality and its role in fostering an informed society.

As talented journalists find themselves displaced, news organizations face the risk of diminished quality and diversity in their reporting.

The evolving media landscape demands innovative solutions to sustain the crucial work of journalism, ensuring that the public continues to have access to reliable and diverse sources of information.

It is a pivotal moment for the industry to adapt, collaborate, and explore new models that can safeguard the essential function of journalism in our democratic societies.