My profession as a worst job

I had a long, productive, enriching career in newspapers.

So it’s hard to think of my profession as one of the worst jobs out there.

The fifth worst job, according to CareerCast.com, is newspaper reporter/broadcaster.

Only oil rig worker, enlisted military soldier, dairy farmer, and lumberjack were ranked worse.

“As the digital world continues to take over and provide on-demand information, the need for print newspapers and daily newscasts is diminishing. To be sure, both jobs once seemed glamorous, but on-the-job stress, declining job opportunities and income levels are what landed them on our Worst Jobs list,” said CareerCast.

CareerCast graded professions on work environment, stress, physical demands and hiring outlook.

I spent from June 1977 when I was hired at the York County Coast Star in Maine to June 2008 when I retired from the Seacoast Media Group in New Hampshire working in the newspaper industry.

I was hired as a reporter. I retired as a director of operations.

Today, even in retirement, I continue to work for newspapers as a freelance reporter. Basically, I’ve come back to where I started.

One knock on the profession is the pay, but not many of us got into newspapers with the expectation that we’d get rich.

We got into newspapers because we loved to hunt -- we loved to hunt for the truth, for the interview that helped explain a complicated issue, for the document that proved guilt (or proved innocence), for the story that made you laugh or cry or get angry, for the feeling that we made a difference in public policy.

Over the years my work as a reporter has allowed me the privilege of meeting heroes and scoundrels, people who’ve inspired me and people who’ve disgusted me. I’ve been praised for the work I’ve done. I’ve been screamed at for the work I’ve done. I’ve written great stories, and I’ve written stories I’d rather forget about.

I’ve visited places I never would have visited otherwise. I’ve seen things -- some great, some heart-wrenching -- that I never would have seen otherwise. I’ve had experiences that would not have happened had I been something other than a newspaper reporter (being able to interview candidates for president, for example, such as Buddy Roemer in the picture).

Was there stress? Sure, especially with the approach of a deadline. Some reporters will tell you they write better when they’re stressed.

Is there a future for the profession? Yes, albeit a changing one.

The challenge of newspapers has changed, certainly. The old model of delivering content by way of a printed product is going away, ever so gradually.

Newspapers have to evolve, and evolve quickly, as technology quickly changes the delivery. It’s moving away from print to computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets and who knows what else in the future.

The challenge of the reporter hasn’t changed so much, at least not the core challenge: Get it all, get it fast, get it right.

It is not how the reporter’s story is distributed that’s important, it is the story itself that is important and will remain important, far higher than a fifth worst job.

A lousy job? Not on your life, certainly not in mine.