THE number of Scotland-based journalists is estimated to comprise ten per cent of the UK total – according to a survey conducted by the National Council for the Training of Journalists.
Says the survey – conducted last year, comprising over 1,000 respondents and a follow-up of a 2002 audit – while Scotland is home to eight per cent of the UK population, it is home to ten per cent of UK journalists.
That is up three per cent on the survey findings of 2002.
However, the figure is tempered by the findings of a different survey altogether: the Labour Force Survey, which is entirely different to the NCTJ but which the NCTJ cites for comparison purposes, says that seven per cent of UK journalists are based in Scotland.
The survey also found that 37 per cent of UK journalists are based in London, although London’s working population is just 15 per cent of the UK total. The 37 per cent figures is down seven per cent on the 2002 survey findings and at various with the LFS figure of 46 per cent.
Of the 106 Scots journalists who took part in the survey, 40 said the worked in regional newspapers, 11 in national newspapers, four on business magazines, six on consumer and leisure magazines, one in ‘other’ magazines, three in regional radio, two in national radio, five on national TV, eight on regional TV, none on cable or satellite TV, seven online, two in books, eight in PR/comms and one in a news agency. Four identified ‘other’ as their most relevant category.
The survey also looked at, among other things, journalism training, qualifications, working patterns and ethics.
