Reporting a dead end career, try being Public Relations Specialist Instead!
So says Yahoo, which, in fairness, is not known for its powerhouse reporting:
Dying Career #2: Reporter
They say a species must adapt or die, and with the trend of the Internet replacing print journalism (you are reading this on the computer, after all), media folks who don't adjust might not survive too much longer. In short, many reporters could be going the way of their typewriters soon.
Projected Decline: Reporter and correspondent positions are expected to decline by 8 percent from 51,900 jobs in 2010 to 48,000 in 2020, for a total of nearly 4,000 jobs lost, says the U.S. Department of Labor
Why It's Dying: The Department of Labor says that because of the trend of consolidation of media companies and the decline in readership of newspapers, reporters will find there are fewer available jobs.
So, if you have a hankering for writing, you might look into...
Alternative Career: Public Relations Specialist
In the new world of Facebook, Twitter, and all things Web, the public image of a company has never been more important, and so the role of public relations specialist is a vital one. These are the people who evaluate advertising programs, write press releases, and communicate with the media and public to promote a company's public image, according to U.S. Department of Labor.
Projected Growth: The Department projects openings for PR specialists to grow by 23 percent from 2010 to 2020, which equals 58,200 new jobs.
Click to Find the Right Business Program.
Why It's Growing: Thanks to the fact that both good and bad news spreads quickly in the Internet age, the Department says that companies need PR specialists to respond to these news developments. "With the popularity of social media marketers, specializing in that will be absolutely critical in the future. These people will be sought after by most companies," says Susan Heathfield, a management consultant and writer of About.com's Guide to Human Resources.
Education Options: The Department says public relations specialists normally need a bachelor's degree, with employers usually wanting applicants to have studied public relations, communications, journalism, English, or business.
http://education.yahoo.net/articles/careers_dead_by_2020.htm?kid=1O0V0
= new reply since forum marked as read
I've been in PR for 30 years, most of it Healthcare and non-profit.
I've run free cholesterol, mammography and prostate cancer screenings (not at the same time 
).
I've helped inform people on education and health-related issues.
I feel I make a contribution to society. I do an honest day's work for less pay than I should get. I pay taxes and always vote Democratic. My SO and I have raised two children.
There are bad doctors out there ; and bad lawyers and, yes, bad pr professionals. Let's not paint us all with the same brush.
and the suggestion that going into PR is somehow the equivalent of becoming a reporter. The original article speaks specifically about polishing corporate image, and makes the offensive assumption that any job that draws on a particular set of writing skills ought to be viewed as essentially interchangeable with any other job that requires similar skills.
This doesn't mean everyone in PR is working for evil, faceless, avaricious corporations. Sounds like you've found meaningful, rewarding and socially beneficial work, and I don't think anyone here means to demean that! 
