LAYOFFS.COM

February 2001
		If the recent happenings in the Internet news industry are any indication, now might not be the time to seek out that online reporting job of your dreams. What's behind the recent spate of online news layoffs? Three experts take your questions.

Forum introduction Will tech jobs be affected by the economic downturn? Will news sites build back up to their pre-layoff size? What should one do to become a Web journalist? Are there still Web jobs to be had? Is the building stage over at news sites?     Online Special Layoffs.com Online Special Media Watch Jan. 8, 2001 The New York Times lays off 17 percent of its Internet division. Dec. 21, 2000 Salon.com lays off 20 percent of its staff. Browse the NewsHour's coverage of the media

Kenneth from Australia asks: I am particularly interested in tech jobs, like computer programming, etc. Do you think those kinds of jobs will be affected by the downswing we’re seeing in Internet news?   Neil Budde responds: Internet news operations still require skilled programmers to keep evolving their news products. While the number of jobs has declined as Internet news sites scaled back the pace of new development, they will continue to need to program new features and expand.   Hoag Levins responds: Yes and no. While dot-com publishing and e-commerce sites are laying off large numbers of workers, computer use and Internet use continues to expand throughout virtually all areas of society. Meanwhile, the installation and use of local computer networks is expanding rapidly. For these reasons, competent computer programmers face a rosy employment future. We live in a world that will always need more programmers.   David Talbot responds: While the overall downturn in the technology industry means that there isn't quite the same frantic competition for technologically skilled staff right now as there was a couple of years ago, I think the long-term prospects for this sort of job remain great. The Web will keep on growing; this downswing is not a permanent condition.