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More cynical and depersonalized, Gen-Z journalists face the greatest risk of burnout
The workplace crisis and wellness problem is a global experience
Boitshepo Balozwi, a former Fulbright Scholar, is a Missouri School of Journalism doctoral student specializing in health communication.
Scott Reinardy is a 20-year expert on burnout, a former sports journalist with 15 years of experience and a journalism scholar in leadership at the University of Kansas. Reinardy has experienced burnout directly and said it affected not only his professional life but his personal and family life as well.
Reinardy’s research shows that the experience of burnout can be influenced by individual-level factors, such as age, race, sexual orientation, marital status, years of experience in the industry and the area of specialization or the specific job or beat the journalist covers. For example, sports journalists experience less burnout than journalists working the copydesk and those constantly monitoring and managing web traffic or posting online.
As an associate dean, Reinardy has seen current and emerging trends in the context of burnout, specifically among the younger generation. He referenced research conducted in 2016 by Jasmine MacDonald and others that shows how experience matters — younger journalists are more cynical and depersonalized and less likely to experience job satisfaction.
These perspectives align with the findings of a Reynolds Journalism Institute survey released in February 2024. The study found that journalists aged 25-34 years are likely to be pessimistic 63% of the time, higher than any other demographic.
“Their coping mechanisms are underdeveloped,” Reinardy said. “That creates more stress for them, which ultimately will lead to more burnout. And I think how we are seeing it play out is mostly with mental health issues. We are seeing more mental health crises among young people.”
Statistics from the Walton Family Foundation and Gallup show that mental health adversely and disproportionately affects Generation Z, or those within the ages of 12-27 years. This has resulted in feelings of uncertainty, pessimism and inadequacy, with only 44% of this demographic reporting to be ready to face the future.
However, new and younger journalists have found some ways to respond to the challenges they face.
“The younger generation has a greater respect for the value of work,” Reinardy said. “And they vocalize the need for a better work-life balance.”
Jennifer Mizgata is a strategist, professional coach, consultant and founder and principal of Little Key. She primarily works with journalists to help them navigate the challenges they face in the newsroom and to impart strategies to cope with or to prevent and manage burnout.
Similar to Reinardy, Mizgata sees the experience of burnout as layered and multidimensional. She said interventions to address burnout should be holistic, including reducing the impression of journalists as exceptional beings who work around the clock.
“Journalism is a reactive industry,” she said. “Journalism has a culture overall of being first, of being responsive and people responding to outside events. This leaves journalists in a hyper-responsive mode that does not allow them to calm down.”
Mizgata and Reinardy suggest a needs-based approach to preventing and recovering from burnout, particularly for journalists covering beats that expose them to vicarious trauma.
The connection between burnout and vicarious trauma was initially observed in a study published in 1990 authored by Lisa McCann and Laurie Anne Pearlman. The study, which focused on the lived experiences of therapists, described burnout as the psychological strain endured by professionals whose work exposes them to individuals and communities defined as difficult populations.
This includes professionals such as journalists, who cover traumatic and tragic events and are regularly exposed to and absorb distressing images, harrowing stories and painful emotional reactions. All of these scenarios lead to symptoms of burnout, such as feeling depressed, cynical, bored, discouraged or lacking compassion.
These professionals may also experience PTSD and vicarious trauma. The authors describe vicarious trauma as a consequence of empathy.
AX Mina is a creative consultant, leadership coach, author and artist. She is also an independent journalist and a regular contributor to the online platform Hyperallergic. Mina said stress can result from journalists doing interviews, meeting new people, experiencing online abuse, witnessing traumatic events and working in isolation.
She suggested steps journalists can take to prevent and manage burnout, such as practicing trauma-informed yoga.
“Observe the body,” she said. “Notice your stress signals, such as the tightening in your chest. Do some stretching exercises. Be self-aware. Do a self-investigation. What is the one thing you are going to do? What makes sense to you? Make small changes.”
Mina also observes a disproportionate and gendered aspect to burnout. She said people representing marginalized groups, including women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, younger journalists, and others, are at a higher risk of emotional exhaustion.
Burnout, beyond the United States
Data from research Reinardy conducted in 2011 show that compared to previous years, journalists in the developed regions also report that they are expected to produce more work, with minimal human expertise and financial resources and under increasingly less secure working environments.
Caroline Phiri-Lubwika is a seasoned media specialist, coach, mentor and trainer in Africa. She supports these data and the findings from the RJI survey finding that burnout is having a universal impact and needs a multileveled and multifaceted approach to reduce its growing intensity in newsrooms.
“For our situation in this part of the world, this is a far cry because it is never a priority for any proprietor or media owner,” she said via email. “The case of private media in Africa is sometimes a sorry sight as this is not a priority at all.”
“Staff or freelancers fend for themselves on their emotional well-being and mental health by seeking help from friends, family members and sometimes the church.”
Phiri-Lubwika agrees with her North American colleagues that veteran journalists can more easily navigate newsroom pressures, which provides a buffer against burnout. However, she cautions that prolonged exposure to the high-stress environment of journalism can also wear down even the most seasoned professionals, particularly if there is a lack of support and resources to manage this stress effectively.
“The normalization of overwork, coupled with stigma around mental health discussions, creates an environment where burnout is seen as inevitable,” she said. “Without structural changes to address these issues, burnout is likely to remain a persistent problem in the media industry.”
Phiri-Lubwika explains that for less experienced journalists, the risk of burnout can be higher due to the pressure to prove themselves while adapting to a demanding and fast-paced industry. If not adequately managed, these are issues that can quickly lead to exhaustion and burnout.
In terms of solutions to the global phenomena, Phiri-Lubwika promotes the use of a facilitative and needs-based approach to mitigate burnout. “Cultures that promote open communication, peer support and opportunities for career growth can help sustain journalists’ well-being and job satisfaction,” she said.
Phiri-Lubwika also aligns with the RJI survey, which shows a need to promote work-life balance and self-care.
“For journalists experiencing burnout, prioritize self-care by setting clear work-life boundaries and taking time to rest and recharge,” she said.
Cite this article
Balozwi, Boitshepo (2025, Feb. 3). More cynical and depersonalized, Gen-Z journalists face the greatest risk of burnout. Reynolds Journalism Institute. Retrieved from: https://rjionline.org/news/more-cynical-and-depersonalized-gen-z-journalists-face-the-greatest-risk-of-burnout/
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