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Given the precarity of newswork, in conjunction with threats to journalists and attempts at influencing their reporting, it is understandable that more than two-thirds of respondents indicated that they often (23,9%) or very often (42,6%) felt stressed out at work (over the preceding six months). A similar percentage of respondents agreed (36.6%) or strongly agreed (27,1%) that they are concerned about their emotional and mental wellbeing.
In terms of gender, the majority of female (63,7%) and male (62,9%) respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they are concerned about their wellbeing. However, there is a gendered difference regarding stress in the workplace. While the majority of both are stressed, almost three quarters (74,7%) of female respondents indicated they have “often” or “very often” felt stress at work, compared to 54,3% of their male counterparts.
Given the closure of media companies and news outlets over the past decade, it would probably also not come as a surprise that around 40% of respondents agreed (21,3%) or strongly agreed (19,0%) that they are worried about losing their job in the next 12 months. While this is a sizeable proportion of the sample, the concern about job losses is even more alarming considering that more than 80% of journalists in this study had permanent positions. In fact, amongst permanently employed journalists, the percentage of respondents who agreed that they are concerned about losing their jobs, rises to 43,1%. This would suggest that a permanent position does not ensure a feeling of job security in journalism in South Africa.
More than half (54,4%) of journalists in their 40s agreed (25,0%) or strongly agree (29,2%) that they are worried about losing their jobs in the next 12 months. This is followed by 40,8% of journalists in their 30s, 36,4% of journalists in their 50s, and 30,3% of journalists in their 20s. Around a quarter (25,8%) of journalists in their 60s share the same sentiment.
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