By Christian Thomas<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NABJ\u2019s annual conventions have long been on Emmy-nominated producer Tahj Anthony\u2019s journalism bucket list, but after being laid off from his senior producer role in August, his first convention this year in Atlanta became less of a curiosity and more a necessity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI had already purchased my NABJ ticket in January, so I already knew I was going to be attending this year,\u201d Anthony said. \u201cI did not know that I would be attending after getting laid off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From interning at \u201cGood Morning America\u201d and \u201c106 & Park\u201d to working as a newscast director, digital and social producer, and senior producer at local stations across the country, Anthony built a resume fit for a lengthy career in the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve sacrificed so much for this goal and invested so much time,\u201d Anthony said. \u201cI did all the things because I was hungry, and I was passionate because it matters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But when leadership at New 12 the Bronx, where he worked for four years as a senior producer, sat in a Zoom call with fellow producers, reporters and his news director, his sense of job security was shattered after his entire newsroom was laid off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s already frustrating as it is because it\u2019s really difficult to find a job right now,\u201d Anthony said. \u201cPeople are being replaced by AI, budgets are being cut, so they\u2019re eliminating complete staffs. It\u2019s scary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For hundreds of journalists in the United States, this year has been more than finding sources and writing headlines. They\u2019re also finding new places of employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI was just trying to survive,\u201d Anthony said. \u201cI was trying to remain an employed journalist in New York City. All I see on LinkedIn is people talk about how they\u2019ve been unemployed for so long, and sure enough, I\u2019m one of the ones.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This week, journalists like Anthony have traveled to Atlanta for the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention in search of community, education and career stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A year after corporate flight and the removal of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the country contributed to the loss of NABJ sponsors during its Cleveland convention, the group\u2019s president said it\u2019s prepared to tackle the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In May, NABJ expanded its members’ support initiative<\/a> to assist Black journalists impacted by this year\u2019s wave of layoffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The organization has connected members to resources to ease the transition through resources on its website including a Career Transition Hub, job seeker directory, layoff recovery webinars and social media amplification efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNABJ is meeting this moment by responding boldly and pushing back against any suggestion that diversity, equity and inclusion is not an American value, that the First Amendment is optional \u2012 we know that it is not \u2012 and that there is no American story without Black journalists,\u201d NABJ President Errin Haines said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Layoffs and mergers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In July, News 12 cut nearly 12% of its standalone operations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Westchester and Connecticut, opting instead for a single regional broadcast system, according to reports. .<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe writings were on the wall,\u201d Anthony said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t too shocked about the layoffs because I noticed they started moving differently.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Among this year\u2019s NABJ Career Fair vendors, E.W. Scripps also recently laid off 12% of its total workforce, or 268 employees, at local TV stations, according to Scripps Senior Talent Acquisitions Partner J. Bates, as the company embraces AI for producer, assignment desk, director and photographer roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the Career Fair, companies like Nexstar and TEGNA occupy separate booths as Nexstar\u2019s $6.2 billion TEGNA acquisition continues to face legal hurdles in court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Everything is so uncertain\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even with aid from NABJ, journalists feel the widespread cutbacks from DEI have chilled recruitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWow, this is it,\u201d a journalist said while entering this year\u2019s Career Fair. \u201cBack in the day it would be larger.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This year\u2019s career fair has fewer corporate vendors than the organization\u2019s virtual convention in 2021, according to NABJ\u2019s convention website. NABJ declined to comment on sponsorship figures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think issues involving layoffs and cutbacks will continue to be strong points,\u201d NABJ co-founder and former Washington Post columnist Joe Davidson said. \u201cDonald Trump and his attacks on news media will be a continuing issue.\u201d Davidson left the Washington Post<\/a> in July 2025 in protest \u201cof the new policy that prohibited commentary and opinion in a news column,\u201d particularly regarding Trump. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the unpredictable industry, journalists like Anthony are still working to carve a spot in a newsroom no matter how far from home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEverything is so uncertain,\u201d Anthony said. \u201cI just feel like this is the best time for me to experience my first NABJ. I\u2019m just looking forward to meeting new people, making new connections and hopefully finding a job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more on this year’s career fair, check out the latest NABJ monitor podcast:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n