Millennial journalists cite 'amoral billionaires' and media consolidation as industry declines

Journalist Patrick Lenton has published an opinion piece in The Guardian, arguing that the romanticised fantasy of working in media has been dismantled by a harsh reality of mass redundancies, frequent buyouts, and forced pivots to video. Lenton, a millennial journalist, contends that the industry is now dominated by what he describes as "amoral billionaires" and media monopolies, leaving a shrinking sector characterised by corporate ineptitude and the erosion of traditional journalism roles.

Lenton draws parallels between the plot of the upcoming film The Devil Wears Prada 2 and the experiences of his peers. In the film, the protagonist Andy Sachs faces redundancy after a media buyout, a scenario Lenton notes mirrors the real-life trajectory of many journalists his age. He observes that few millennial journalists have avoided ricocheting through multiple buyouts and job losses, a shift that contrasts sharply with the "rose-tinted" fantasy popularised by the original 2006 film and other cultural touchstones like Carrie Bradshaw and Bridget Jones.

The article highlights Lenton’s personal experience of leaving an editor role at a digital youth media publication at the start of the pandemic. He describes a team slashed to an exhausted handful, with freelance budgets cut to zero while staff were still expected to meet unattainable traffic targets. Lenton states he "rage-quit" the position, noting that the publication was sold just two weeks later, which he cites as evidence of the "insane business decisions" prevalent in the industry.

Lenton also details a previous role where a corporate advertising company acquired the site with the intent of using it as an in-house media arm for outdoor billboards. This acquisition led to an attempted pivot where journalists were asked to write copy for billboards. Lenton recalls that the effort was abandoned when the only text submitted by staff was the phrase "Help! I’m stuck in a billboard factory," illustrating the profound ineptitude he has witnessed in corporate management.

The piece serves as a critique of the current media landscape, where legacy outlets are frequently acquired by larger conglomerates or tech platforms, leading to job cuts and structural changes. Lenton argues that while he still believes in the function of journalism, his dream of doing reporting is often hindered by owners focused on profit over substance. He concludes that the industry’s survival is uncertain, with many journalists hoping for a future where the work can exist despite the "ravages of the idiots in charge."