A Letter To The Media Industry In The U.S. | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

A Letter To The Media Industry In The U.S.

A reflection on my 2016

15
A Letter To The Media Industry In The U.S.
Jia Guo

There have been moments in my life where I suddenly forgot which year I was in. I am still quite young and should have sharp thoughts and a tremendous amount of free memory storage in my brain. However, the amount of the information I have been getting everyday has been overwhelming. In addition to traditional media channels such as TV, newspaper and websites, we are all getting information (including news) from social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and WeChat (as a heavy Chinese news consumer). While Facebook denies that it plays a role as a media platform, it really is. Facebook has 1.8 billion users and 44 percent of Americans get their news from the site, according to the Pew Research Center. Looking back to my 2016, it was bitter sweet. And it made me realize the reality of the U.S. media industry and that in general, working in the U.S. requires a big heart.

When I was a high school student in China, I learned in my politics class that in a capitalist country like the U.S., people value individualism and interests more than collectivism, and sometimes, in a cruel way. I didn’t understand it fully at that moment. But now, I feel like I can testify it, using my own example.

It is a sad reality to know that the media industry in the U.S. has become so competitive and that working as a contractor is not uncommon. When I graduated from NYU in 2013, I was working as a contractor for 3 years, almost. Bloomberg, Facebook, etc... Those companies sound amazing and dreamy but they hired third-party agents to hire contractors and the new hires didn’t receive the same benefit as those working full-time in those organizations. At the same time, as an international, I am glad that I don’t face penalty for lacking basic health insurance. I know the importance of staying healthy because seeing a doctor here without health insurance can be suicidal. Contractors working in the media industry get paid hourly and usually don’t get affordable health insurance. Some of my former colleagues spent more than $200 per month on health insurance offered by our third-party agency. This past week, I had a media tour at Yahoo in New York. When someone in our group (most of us are journalists) asked if the people working at Yahoo were mostly full-time, the tour lady ( who is a Yahoo full-time employee) said that the majority of them were freelancers (contractors). I felt saddened after hearing the word “majority.” While it is not fair to blame the reality of competitiveness, it was uneasy to realize that working as a contractor means less stability.

The media industry in China is competitive too but contractors are less common. I discussed this with my parents in China many times over the phone. Not only did they tell me that working as a contractor in China is less common, but that firing people while breaking the contract is against the law. And if that happens, employers have to face lawsuit. Usually, in China, a new hire goes through a 2-3 months’ trial period and if everything works out, the new hire becomes a full-time employee, signing a contract that is law-binding to both parties and gets insurances (health insurance, pension similar to 401K in the U.S., etc.). This sounds tempting and made me want to go back home many times. While living in the U.S. for almost 7 years, I feel like this place has become a magnet that attracts me, for better or worse. Maybe one day, when I am not a contractor, I will go back.

Now, you may argue that working in the media industry in China means lacking the freedom of speech and of the press. Many people in the U.S. asked me about this and I found it not only to be untrue but offensive. Putting aside the sensation of being patriotic, the truth is that the media industry in China is changing and transforming. The program that many Chinese people are watching now is different from the one that was aired 20 years ago. While practicing journalism here in the U.S., I noticed an interesting way of describing Xin Hua News Agency or CCTV. It would be dubbed “the state-run media agency.” While it is true that those publications were operated by the Chinese government, it is not fair to deny that there are many other media outlets in China that are not afraid of covering political corruptions and social injustice, especially since President Xi took office in 2013. Many high-profile politicians including the former Chongqing Party Secretary Bo Xilai and former senior politician within the Ministry of Railways were punished in a wave of crackdown on bribery and political corruption since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on Nov. 8, 2012. And their stories appeared on CCTV, Xinhua News and many others.

While living in the U.S. for almost 7 years, I made a lot of American friends in the field of journalism and have developed some important qualities including tenacity and persistence. Those qualities are so important that they will always keep me working hard in a competitive U.S. media industry and finding my own value as a story-teller.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196037
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18352
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460479
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28097
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments