Are unpaid internships creating an elitist media profession? SourceThatJob.com's stand against exploitation reignites debate and garners industry support

• Wednesday, 10 March 2010

SourceThatJob.com’s recent decision to reject advertising from those recruiting people for unpaid internships has attracted strong support of many journalists and others in the media industry.

http://www.dwpubsporadic.com/2010/03/sourcethatjob-strikes-a...

The media job site, which is a sister site of Daryl Willcox Publishing, made the move to take a stand against exploitation and the creation of an elitist media workforce.

SourceThatJob.com found that in the period since the economic downturn there had been a significant increase in the number of internships being offered.

“The majority of internships advertised are unpaid and can run from three months to an indefinite length; a time factor which may eliminate those who cannot afford to work for free from the media industry,” said Daryl Willcox, founder of SourceThatJob.com. “We’ve attracted many positive comments supporting our stand. Obviously people have differing views, but it’s reignited an important issue.”

Internships are nothing new and debate surrounding the ethics of recruiting for long-term stints of unpaid work has been ongoing for some time. But with the number of media jobs diminishing, it is now also becoming more difficult for prospective jobseekers to tell genuine opportunities from free labour.

Daryl Willcox continued: “The noticeable rise in advertised positions requesting candidates for internships raises two questions: which opportunities are genuine, and as unpaid internships are often seen as essential to get into the media industry are companies only going to employ those that can afford to work for free? Media should represent society, yet the pressure of long-term unpaid work may mean that graduates with no financial support give up on a career in the industry.”

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ), of which Daryl Willcox is a member, writes that although there is a need for inexperienced journalists to gain experience, this ‘internship culture has huge implications for diversity in the media, barring the profession to those who can't afford to work for free.’

In response to the December 2009 ‘Final Report of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions,’ a report commissioned to examine the issue of barriers and pathways to reaching professions for all people regardless of their background, the Government has introduced a kitemark system to highlight quality internships. More information can be found here: http://interactive.bis.gov.uk/unleashingaspiration/

About Daryl Group

Daryl Group (www.darylgroup.com) provides management services to its related businesses and nurtures new ventures, primarily in the media sector.
The company is run by Daryl Willcox, a former journalist who launched Daryl Willcox Publishing in 1997 and oversaw its growth to become a major provider of online services to journalists, public relations professionals and digital marketers.
Daryl Group exists in the centre of an established media and marketing community. Its mission is to identify, launch and grow new services to benefit this community.

About Daryl Willcox Publishing

Daryl Willcox Publishing (www.dwpub.com) provides information services for journalists and public relations companies. Launched in 1997, the company connects media professionals to create opportunities for timely, relevant press coverage. Products include the Response Source Journalist Enquiries System, SourceWire and Response Source press release wires, the Freelance Journalist Directory and the FeaturesExec media database. Over 2,500 companies use Daryl Willcox Publishing's media relations services, including around 120 of the top 150 PR Companies.

For further information please contact:
Claire Armitt
flannel
01273 779449
claire.armitt@no-flannel.com

This press release was distributed via SourceWire, a service from Daryl Willcox Publishing, on behalf of Daryl Willcox Publishing. For more information visit http://www.dwpub.com/pressreleasewires