At least 650 journalists have been laid off in the first 28 days of 2024. 

These include 100 people from Sports Illustrated, approximately 115 from the Los Angeles Times, 200 from Univision, 30 from TIME Magazine, 8% of Business Insider’s staff and others from Forbes, National Geographic and TechCrunch. 

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Furthermore, 400 staff members of Condé Nast — the parent company of magazines such as  Vogue and Vanity Fair — walked out earlier this month after hearing of the company’s plan to lay off its staff. New York Daily News and Forbes journalists walked out Thursday to protest similar cost-cutting measures. 

The industry is clearly in disarray, and it’s a scary time to be on the verge of graduating with a journalism degree. When I entered journalism school, I knew the chances of being paid a comfortable wage after I graduated would be low. I am grateful to have a support system that lets me pursue this career, but many don’t have that privilege — and we often need to hear their storytelling the most. 

The numbers only tell part of the story. At the L.A. Times, the De Los vertical section — launched with the goal of covering “Everything Latinidad” — was particularly affected. Univision is the largest source of Spanish-language content in the United States. Out of the 94 L.A. Times guild members laid off, at least 63 were people of color. 

It’s no longer enough to take the already inaccessible leap of going to journalism school. My countless hours of doomscrolling this past week have taught me there is absolutely nothing a journalist can do to avoid being laid off. Some of these reporters are even Pulitzer Prize winners. 

To say it’s discouraging is a massive understatement. Logic is telling me to abandon this career path immediately, to jump off the sinking ship while I still can. But my heart knows I can’t. 

In my experience, few understand this painfully specific passion, but I know it lives in every journalist out there. Whether it stems from a love of writing, interviewing or researching — every journalist I know simply cares about informing and connecting with their community, and works to give people tools to understand the increasingly complex world. 

It’s understandable that people have reservations against established media. There are systemic issues in these organizations that can lead to biased, harmful reporting, but that’s why it’s so important for young, underrepresented voices to be included in the industry and have the potential to assume leadership positions someday. And trust me, you do not want to live in a world without journalism. 

In the current landscape, anyone can write something and publish it on their own, or make their own podcast or video. In some ways, that’s extremely valuable, and it shouldn’t go away. But if news is completely on social media, we leave information up to algorithms. The echo chambers we already occupy will only grow more intense and polarization could reach new, unimaginable heights. 

About one-fifth of the U.S. population already lives in “news deserts” — counties that don’t have any news outlets dedicated to covering the area. Research has shown that more election coverage leads to higher voter turnout and a lower chance of incumbents being reelected. When local newspapers shut down, nearby facilities’ violations increase by more than 15%. Journalism keeps politicians and institutions accountable. 

Jie Jenny Zhou, an investigative reporter who was laid off by the L.A. Times last week, worked on an investigation last year that revealed the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had released sick detainees early to avoid responsibility for their deaths. Dina Fine Maron, a National Geographic reporter who was laid off, covered how the coronavirus pandemic contributed to increased wildlife poaching. Erin B. Logan, a political reporter for the L.A. Times who was also laid off last week, has been consistently covering the impact of the Israel-Hamas war on the 2024 presidential and local elections. 

To list every accomplishment from these journalists would take thousands of words, but the bottom line is this: With every journalist laid off, there are fewer minds working to find and tell these important stories. 

I’ve been at the Daily Trojan for seven semesters now — I was editor-in-chief this past fall — and I’ve worked in two professional newsrooms. I’m not an expert, but I’ve seen how much work goes into every story: badgering a crucial source for weeks, jumping through hoops to access public records or churning out three or more stories per day on completely different topics. There’s little incentive to enter the industry already, and it’s only getting worse. 

It’s up to the public to ensure the value of journalism remains. If you’re financially able, buy subscriptions for the outlets you get your news from. Subscribe to their newsletters — which are usually free — and open their emails. Share stories you find important and impactful. Show the owners of these companies that you’re reading, listening and watching: Show them you care.