Low Pay, High Peril

Public television station KPBS, owned and operated by San Diego State University, is looking for a new reporter for its Mexican-border beat, according to a recent posting on the website of SDSU’s Research Foundation. According to the job description, there will be a lot to do: “The reporter researches topics, develops contacts and interviews sources, maintains notes and video/audio recordings, writes and edits reports, produces and voices reports for air and will work with a production unit to produce TV and multi-media productions.” In addition, “The Fronteras reporter will have a sense of how to meet challenges created by digital media. Be able to work in a breaking news situation and in a live broadcast environment. Have experience in online production, including writing, editing, graphic design, HTML, photography and audio and video production desired.” A bachelor’s degree “or equivalent work in journalism” is required, and the successful jobseeker “Must be able to work nonstandard irregular hours and carry field broadcast equipment.” In addition, candidates for the job must be fluent in both Spanish and English. But judging from the relatively modest pay offered, between $19.51 and $22.35 per hour, the golden days of unionized high-dollar local journalism are a thing of the past. On top of that, warns the notice, the working conditions will come with a few chilling caveats. “Because of the potentially volatile nature of reporting news in some international locations, such as Mexico, there may be perils associated with this work that go beyond those typically encountered in domestic general assignment reporting.” If that weren’t dangerous enough, the advertisement goes on to warn that workers “may be featured in the background of live news segments” and face “Exposure to ambient noise.”