Abstract
From a cultural, technological and economic perspective, the field of journalism is in a constant state of change. Journalists frequently work under precarious conditions that involve risk, violence and aggression, all of which can negatively affect their health and quality of life. The appeal of journalism as a career is declining due to falling revenues, emerging technologies, redundancies and decreasing circulation, among other factors. Those currently employed in the news industry are increasingly expected to do more with fewer resources, while long-standing pressures such as tight deadlines, excessive workloads and intense competition continue to exacerbate physical, legal and ethical challenges. This study aims to examine the overall state of journalism and the wellbeing of its practitioners, with a particular focus on the Italian media landscape. In particular, it highlights the precarious working conditions that affect a specific category of professionals within journalism: freelancers.