Planning a career in journalism? Check the facts first

As university tuition fees bang through the £10,000 barrier, here (gently reheated from a few weeks ago) are some statistics on journalism as a career produced by François Nel at the University of Central Lancashire. Shrinkage of mainstream journalists' jobs in the past 10 years: 27% to 33%. Jobs gone between January 2007 and June 2009: 9,500. Jobs left: maybe 40,000. Number of journalism graduates in 2008-9: 7,590, an all-time high. Conclusion: don't be put off if you're utterly determined, but look damned hard before you leap.