wgvegaswoody [Originally written by Woody Goulart and posted online August 29, 2017 and then updated August 21, 2025.]
Mama’s don’t let your babies grow up to be DJs or journalism majors. Your kids will soon after choosing to be in radio or television or journalism become dead broke and they will come begging for you as parents to let them move back in with you. Stop them before they make a terrible career mistake!
You probably have at least heard of Kiplinger, a publisher located in Washington, DC that provides business forecasts and personal finance advice. Perhaps you’ve read their content online. It is worth noting that this company has survived since 1920. I think Kiplinger deserves your trust and confidence when it comes to forecasting financial issues for you, personally, and for business entities in general.
Here I cite a 2017 Kiplinger analysis entitled “10 Worst Jobs for the Future.”
Kiplinger warns young people at the start of their career to steer clear of the radio and television industries. This comes as number 5 of 12 such warnings worth knowing about.
A projected decline of 12.9% (about thirteen percent) in available jobs up through the year 2027 is forecast. The median annual salary of $34,408 is cited for radio and television announcers in the Kiplinger analysis.
A far more troubling fate than merely suffering through the indignities of that very low salary level you can expect is this Kiplinger explanation as to why you should steer clear of such careers in the first place:
“More radio disc jockeys, talk show hosts and podcasters are under threat of being silenced. Consolidation of radio and television stations, as well as the increased use of syndicated programming, limit the need for these kinds of workers. Plus, streaming music services offer fierce competition to radio stations and their workers.
“If you’re committed to this career track, consider keeping it local. While national news stations are on the rise, audiences still want to hear about what’s going on in their own communities, driving demand for stations to maintain local elements to their broadcasts. Otherwise, you might consider addressing even smaller audiences and becoming a party DJ or emcee. These other types of announcers make up a small field of just 17,813 workers currently, but are expected to grow their ranks 4.5% by 2027. They typically earn slightly less with a median $33,738 a year, but only require a high school diploma to get started.”
Why I wrote this commentary needs to be explained clearly to you: I chose to seek a career on the air in radio back in the year 1970 when I was not yet old enough legally to buy alcohol. More of less four years later I was let go from that amazingly thrilling gig in the Los Angeles radio market, the second-largest in the United States. My use of my voice (my on-air personality) lacked sufficient power for an on-air career in the radio industry in Los Angeles. That stunning E-Ticket ride in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard was fast, unpredictable, and, entirely too short.
After discovering that I was not talented or lucky enough (or perhaps both) to keep a radio job in the Los Angeles market, I tried to work in the strictly “dead-end radio” markets in both Eureka, California and Bloomington, Indiana. That phrase “dead-end radio” markets refers bluntly to any media markets in the U.S. based on their population and number of media outlets in which a person likely will not advance further to larger markets. Working in both of the Eureka and Bloomington markets for me proved to be exceedingly depressing especially compared to my having worked in the Los Angeles market. I realized while working in Eureka and Bloomington that I most likely would not advance further to larger media markets.
My dear friend Evan Haning (1950 – 2024) wrote in 2011 for the Foreword to my book KHJ, Los Angeles: Boss Radio Forever that the profession had disappeared. That was back in the “old days” of 2011.
Evan Haning always was a man ahead of his time. And, Evan Haning was the ONLY person I knew personally who made it on the air in radio over the long stretch. Compared to me only being on the air in Hollywood at some rock and roll station for a very short while, Evan Haning, who had modest beginnings on the air in the dreaded San Luis Obispo, California radio market, made it from a success in the Los Angeles radio to the crucial Washington, DC radio market and he did so within the cut-throat all-news radio business there. He was one of the few real-life radio heroes I had.
Pay careful attention to my commentary here: It makes sense for you NOT to go after a profession that is already faded from our culture. I urge you NOT to pursue a career in the radio or television industries. I believe what Kiplinger is saying. So, should you.
You may want to go get a bachelor’s degree like I did in Journalism from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. But, do not for one minute believe that being on the air at KCPR radio at Cal Poly actually will prepare you to make a living in a career on the air elsewhere. Read about my own KCPR radio at Cal Poly experiences as a possible guide to what may happen to you if you go that route.
Remember that ANY bachelor’s degree anywhere will do the basic minimum—train you to learn how to use your mind effectively. Just do not expect a financial payback for all the dollars that you or your parents invest in your undergraduate education if you choose a major such as journalism that is declining in job prospects. You will need more than merely a bachelor’s degree. You will need a top-notch graduate degree or two from highly-reputable universities that are expensive and not at all easy to get into.
Ironically, in the wake of President Donald Trump’s claims during his first presidential term referring to so-called “fake news,” which is, itself, a false claim by Trump that does not stand up to the test of logic or reason, skilled and talented journalists are needed perhaps more than ever before in American history.
During his second presidential term, Trump became angry with how CBS News had covered him and the 2024 election on the legendary CBS News 60 Minutes series. Learn more. The parent company of CBS News (Paramount, which was well-known initially as a motion picture company in Hollywood famous for the Star Trek television and movie franchise) happened at the time to be involved in a mergers-and-acquisition business deal in the show business sector. Federal Communications Commission approval was required for Paramount to be bought by Skydance (a larger media corporation) because CBS owned television and radio stations which use public frequencies and those are federally regulated. Since Trump controlled the FCC approvals, Paramount was in a very tight squeeze financially. Concessions were made to Trump in exchange for FCC approval of the business deal which finally went through. But the journalistic reputation of CBS News and especially 60 Minutes was tarnished and audience ratings for CBS declined.
Within this environment CBS subsequently announced the end of the television network’s late-night show hosted by Stephen Colbert since 2015. Colbert, a very vocal critic of Trump on the late-night show, found himself on the receiving end of Trump’s revenge. The overall reputation of CBS was further tarnished.
Public trust in the fairness and accuracy of news presented by media companies dropped to the lowest level in half a century. Learn more. This has had a ripple effect in creating strong challenges to the financial viability of getting a university degree in journalism in the present day. Whether news today is considered to be “fake” or more accurately not in alignment with a particular leader, the reality is going to a college or university to earn a four-year degree in journalism poses financial risks for students. This is true even while skilled and talented journalists are needed perhaps more than ever before in American history.
Today’s reality is simple to express:
Skills can be taught during an undergraduate or graduate degree program, yes. However, getting a bachelor’s degree in journalism won’t give you talent that you don’t already have within you. And seeking a career on the air on radio or television or in other contemporary media channels may just ruin you financially even if you go the extra distance to get graduate degrees.
You don’t want to beg mommy and daddy to let you move back in with them after you are 30. Mommy will do your laundry. Daddy will curse you under his breath while he gets loaded on adult beverages at the dinner table. And, while your rent will be free, you will end up not being able to look yourself in the mirror for the rest of your life.
These are my opinions. Your mileage may vary.
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