March 27, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Survey of Europe’s Journalists Finds More than 60% Are Forced To Work Other Jobs
The first new Europe-wide survey of the state of journalist profession in nearly a decade raises serious concerns about the viability of the profession, as well as the quality and independence of the free press. The survey of journalists in 33 European countries found:
*62% of Freelancers Are Forced to Work Other Jobs
*60% Have Faced Burnout
*52% Are Worried About AI
Paris, March 27, 2025 – A new survey of journalists across Europe reveals a troubling state of the profession, including 60% of respondents who report an experience with burnout and 62% of them are forced to supplement their income with other types of work to make ends meet.
More than 52% of respondents said they were concerned about the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the journalism profession.
The survey, conducted by two European Union-funded news industry projects, is the first Europe-wide study on the state of the profession since 2015. It comes as the news media struggles financially, and continues to cut staff positions and shift to outsourcing journalism work to freelancers. The responses of those surveyed highlights growing concerns over financial security and mental health for journalism professionals, and its implications for press freedom.
To sustain themselves, a majority of journalists are increasingly turning to other sources of work: public relations (37%), teaching (34%), non-profit work (20%), content marketing (19%), and even jobs like bartending, real estate, and parcel delivery. This reliance on outside jobs raises critical concerns about potential conflicts of interest and editorial independence, which could undermine journalistic integrity.
The report was carried out by the EU-supported Taktak project, in collaboration with Display Europe, and is based on 436 survey responses collected from journalists in 33 European countries and 13 languages.
“If the news industry continues its shift to a freelance-dominated model, we will need to do a much better job of taking care of freelancers,” said Jeff Israely, co-founder of Paris-based media Worldcrunch, the project lead on Taktak.
“The hunt for new revenue sources continues to be crucial. But we’ve learned over the past decade that ensuring the quality of journalism is the only sustainable way to get there. And that requires having people who can dedicate their professional lives to the work of journalism.”
Lars Boering, Director of the European Journalism Centre, said better understanding is needed about what support freelance journalists need. “Surveys to assess the current situation for freelancers are crucial to find ways to make the working conditions and satisfaction of working as a journalist much better,” Boering said. “While tools and opportunities become more available for freelance journalists, using platforms on which they can publish themselves, many are working primarily for media that can do better.”
====
Despite widespread agreement among news professionals that artificial intelligence tools cannot substitute the work of human professionals, there is concern that news companies may cite AI as an excuse to cut costs, including reducing pay for journalists. Of those surveyed, 16% said they were very concerned about AI’s impact on the journalism profession and 36% said they were somewhat concerned. Only 7% said they weren’t concerned at all.
The findings reveal widespread precarious working conditions in the industry, with more than half of respondents to the survey (52%) are freelancers or work under non-employment contracts, facing low pay, lack of social benefits, and financial instability. Even among those with full-time employment, restrictive work environments and limited career growth remain challenges.
Financial insecurity is cited as a key issue: 46% of journalists report dissatisfaction with their income, while over 50% struggle to cover their families’ needs. The report also found that 60% of journalists have experienced burnout, with many citing unstable job conditions, administrative burdens, and declining demand for quality journalism.
Despite these challenges, passion for the profession remains strong: 65% of journalists say they expect to still be in journalism in five years.
Still, without better pay, secure contracts, and structural support, the growing financial pressures on journalists threaten the integrity and quality of news reporting, underscoring the urgent need for structural reforms to support independent journalism.
The rise of freelance journalism in Europe is a structural shift in the media industry, as shrinking newsroom budgets have forced outlets to rely more on independent journalists. While it is unclear how big a percentage of the overall workforce freelancers represent across Europe, the Deutsche Journalistinnen- und Journalisten-Union (dju) in Germany reports that about two-thirds of its members identify as freelance journalists.
The Taktak survey is of particular relevance because it is the first comprehensive survey of freelance journalists in Europe since a 2015 report from the European Federation of Journalists.
In 2022, the European Journalism Centre conducted a mapping exercise to see how it could better serve freelance journalists in Europe.
You can access the full report here.
For further information and interviews, please contact: Irene Caselli, Taktak project manager, irene.caselli@worldcrunch.com
About Taktak
Taktak is building a new payment solution designed by and for media organizations and journalists. It is supported by the Creative Europe program of the European Union. Taktak aims to generate new revenue streams for news publishers and independent journalists, with an innovative donation solution that engages users and allows the beneficiaries to join forces through a dynamic revenue-share option. The tool will trigger donations on a per-article basis, with the possibility for the revenue to be split between journalists and publishers with tools that allow the reader to choose the share for each party.
About Display Europe
Displayeurope.eu is a ground-breaking media platform anchored in public values. The platform provides citizens across the continent access to trustworthy information and a picture of Europe that is not usually conveyed by mainstream or national media. Through translation, syndication and originally-created-content displayeurope.eu gathers and disseminates trustworthy press from across Europe.