The invisible heroes of the local newspaper: volunteer reporters in focus

The invisible heroes of the local newspaper: volunteer reporters in focus

In a time when local reporting is essential, the freelancers of the Rheinpfalz have proven to be an indispensable support of the editorial team. On Wednesday evening they were honored at an employee meeting in the BarbarossHof. Without its continuous efforts to combine the local community through stories and reporting, the newspaper would simply not be conceivable. These committed writers and photographers spend many evenings at council meetings and are on the weekend at Sports fields, in the theater, at concerts and exhibitions to capture the voice of the people on site. The guests of honor also included the Rheinpfalz editor -in -chief, including editor -in -chief Yannick Dillinger and his deputies.

The role of free in local journalism

Freie employees have become an integral part of local journalism, such as ejo . They report on a variety of topics and are part of a wide range of age and professional groups. A study by the TU Dortmund has shown that the majority of free journalists work part -time and has numerous different background professions. About 28 percent of the respondents are pensioners or pensioners, while eleven percent are students. Despite their role in reporting, many of them earn only a low income from their journalistic activity. Before the pandemic, the average income was around 763 euros, but decreased significantly due to the Corona restrictions.

The study has also shown that almost all freelancers take on classically reporter tasks by attending events and researching them independently on topics. Around 60 percent of the respondents support the editorial team through information on local news and act as a local source of information. These findings illustrate the essential role of free employees in local journalism and throw a light on their diverse tasks and challenges that often take place in the background.