How do you break into journalism if you can't afford to work for free? |
There's a longstanding myth that in order to break into the journalism industry, you must first be willing to take on free or low-paid work to prove your mettle. This is true of many competitive industries, but it's a well-documented and well-trodden path in the news sector.
In 2025, the Sutton Trust found that 1 in 5 internships offered no financial compensation, with its 2018 research identifying journalism as one of the industries most likely to offer unpaid internships. The NCTJ’s 2024 Journalists at Work report backed this research, finding that 73 per cent of journalism internships (that led to work opportunities) were unpaid and don't cover basic expenses.
This tradition perpetuates a class problem. As journalists from low-income background can't afford to take on unpaid work, the top opportunities (typically concentrated into the capital) usually go to........