Australia’s media industry is in freefall. A bombshell new report by Medianet has laid bare the grim reality of journalism in 2025—where reporters are underpaid, undervalued, and increasingly out of work thanks to AI.
Fake news is flourishing, newsroom closures are accelerating, and public trust in the media is circling the drain. For journalists, the golden age of reporting is dead. The question now is: can the industry survive the wreckage?
Journalists Struggling to Make Ends Meet
Forget glamour—working in journalism in 2025 is a financial struggle, according to the report released this week. Two-thirds of Australian journalists say they are underpaid, and the gender pay gap is as glaring as ever. A shocking 38% of male journalists earn over $100K, compared to just 23% of women.
Some journalists aren’t sugarcoating the situation. “Anyone seeking to work in journalism is either (a) not interested in the money or (b) stupid,” one respondent said bluntly. Others revealed they’ve taken on side hustles just to afford basic living expenses.
And if you think TV reporters are swimming in cash, think again. While TV remains the highest-paid sector (44% earning six figures), those in print, radio, and digital are left struggling. Journalists in regional areas face even greater financial hardship, earning far less than their metro counterparts. One journalist summed it up: “Degree-qualified journalists with two decades of experience are not valued in the marketplace anymore. It is so sad.”
AI is Replacing Reporters—and Journalists are Furious
Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic threat—it’s here, and it’s taking jobs. The report found that 16% of journalists have lost work or know someone who has, thanks to AI.
Yet, newsrooms are still recklessly embracing AI, even as 88% of journalists warn it’s damaging the integrity of reporting. While some see AI as a tool, others refuse to use it altogether. “AI is still an idiot and can’t be trusted for correct information,” one journalist stated. Another added, “AI is cheating and should not be used.”
AI-generated content is flooding the internet, with minimal human oversight, leading to a disturbing rise in misinformation. As one respondent put it, “I am deeply concerned about the impact AI will have as the internet becomes an unreadable mess of automatically generated slop.”
The Fake News Epidemic
Misinformation isn’t just a problem—it’s the biggest threat to public interest journalism, according to 75% of journalists surveyed. Social media is the main culprit, creating echo chambers of disinformation that undermine credible news. One journalist didn’t hold back: “The internet is awash with utter nonsense—misinformation, disinformation, bald-faced lies, and psy-op content that threaten the foundation of Western democracy.”
The problem has become so severe that traditional journalism is losing relevance, especially among younger demographics who now turn to influencers and TikTok over mainstream outlets. As one journalist put it, “Social media has killed off responsible news gathering, fact-checking, and advertising streams.”
Newsroom Closures and the Death of Legacy Media
Australia’s legacy media outlets are imploding. The report found that 69% of journalists fear mass newsroom closures, with shrinking budgets and dwindling ad revenue pushing outlets to the brink. Journalists are losing their jobs, and audiences are fragmenting.
“We’re at a breaking point of polarisation where media isn’t committing to its role of being objective—it’s pushing people to political extremes,” said one respondent. Others noted the corporate influence over journalism, with advertisers dictating editorial content. “The manager and owner intervene when a story impacts the advertising revenue involving a client,” another journalist admitted.
X is Dying, Bluesky is Rising
Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) is hemorrhaging journalists, with usage dropping from 58% in 2023 to 48% in 2024. Over half of journalists say they’ve either deleted their X accounts or are using the platform far less. Meanwhile, new platforms like Bluesky are gaining traction, with some journalists shifting their focus to alternative channels.
Is Journalism Doomed?
With dwindling wages, AI job displacement, rising misinformation, and crumbling media organisations, Australian journalism is at a crossroads. Public trust in the media is at an all-time low, and the industry is bleeding credibility.
Some journalists still hold out hope, believing the industry can reinvent itself through transparency, investigative rigour, and adapting to new platforms. But others warn that the damage may already be done. “Until journalism returns to its core values—accuracy, integrity, and accountability—it’s game over,” one journalist declared.
Will the media fight back, or is this the final nail in the coffin for traditional journalism? Only time will tell.
