ABSTRACT
Why is there a need to consider the funding of broadcast news? What does it mean to those entering the profession? By considering how the specific nature of the funding of broadcast news and current affairs impacts on the profession and operations of the broadcast journalist, I will argue that it impinges on both the job market and the journalist’s practice. To this end, I provide an overview of funding models for the BBC and commercial television and radio, followed by an evaluation of the current position of staff and freelance broadcast journalists, focusing on those increasingly operating in a multimedia and multi-platform environment. Finally there will be a snapshot of the threats and opportunities for broadcast journalists.
