A new report by PRWeek/PR Newswire found that more than half of surveyed
bloggers consider themselves journalsits. It also found that
journalists are facing heavier workloads than ever before thanks to new
online duties, including writing online stories, blog posts and social
media updates.

The report highlights

On workload:

“Continuing a trend from the 2008 and 2009 surveys, over 70% of respondents in this year’s survey indicate a heavier workload as compared to last year, with the majority (58%) stating that the number of stories for which they are responsible has increased over the past two years. As in 2009, the primary cause of the increased workload is the need to contribute to online reporting. Of those surveyed, 62% are required to write for online news sections, with 39% contributing to their publication’s blog. 37% of US journalists also now must maintain a Twitter feed.

“Canadian media are also experiencing greater demands for their time, with 58% suggesting a greater workload in the past year. Similarly, Canadian journalists are expected to contribute to online news sites, blogs and Twitter feeds, but participation is less than their US counterparts – 55%, 30%, and 30%, respectively.”

On measuring success:

“When asked to identify the primary goal of their work, 50% of respondents indicated “Educate and inform the masses” as the top consideration of their job. This number is consistent with 2009’s mark of 53%. However, a striking change occurred in the second-most selected measure of success: “Break news and chronicle events as they happen.” Selected by 20% of respondents, the result was significantly greater than 2009 (5%) which indicates a growing premium on being first with news, likely driven by the growth of online reporting and the 24/7 news cycle.

“A new question to the survey, but an issue that appears important to success: When asked if building a personal brand was a consideration in their work, the majority of US (52%) and Canadian media (60%) responded either “extremely important” or “important.”

On blogger/social media perception and influence:

“The majority of bloggers now view themselves as journalists – 52%. This is a marked increase from 2009 when just one in three had the same opinion. Yet, despite viewing themselves as professional, only 20% derive the majority of their income from their blog work; a 4% increase from 2009.”