“How much do journalists make”? is likely the first question anyone would ask before embarking on the journalism career journey.
Do you love to tell stories? Would you like a career in journalism? Maybe you want to know how much journalists earn? We’ve outlined some important details about journalism careers in this article. Read through to gain the most.
A journalist writes about breaking news, interesting people or places, trends, or current events for radio stations, digital publishers, newspapers, magazines, and other print media.
You are responsible for generating story ideas and covering topics of interest to the public and providing that information in a well-written and easily digestible manner.
A journalist is a reliable source of unbiased information and needs to convey information efficiently and truthfully to his audience.
Table of contents
What does a journalist do?
Journalists work on reporting newsworthy or interesting events through facts. A journalist is curious, asks questions, and constantly looks for truths, including emotions.
They have to research, examine and examine sources, follow open roads and use all other tools at their disposal to create the most accurate and interesting story.
Why Choose Journalism
Curiosity is the foundation of successful journalists. Curiosity helps journalists identify interesting reporting projects and ask questions that inform readers and viewers. Journalism degrees complement students’ natural curiosity with research, interviewing, and writing skills.
Careers in journalism require the ability to speak to different people in order to gather information and different perspectives. Reporters then share this information and adhere to a code of ethics that is based on honesty and upholds public trust.
Since media companies deliver breaking news and adhere to strict publication deadlines, journalists must work well even with deadlines.
While journalism students once specialized in writing or broadcasting, journalism programs today incorporate both skills to improve traditional and emerging media.
Journalistic careers require comfort with new technology, basic data analysis skills, and strong writing and grammar skills. Critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving are also critical skills for journalists.
How do you become a journalist?
Whether your medium is broadcast, print, or digital journalism, there are a few steps any budding journalist can follow to increase their chances of becoming a professional in their chosen field:
Earn a degree
Studying journalism is not a compulsory education, but it can certainly increase your chances with potential employers in journalism. Journalism programs are a great way to learn work basics early on.
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited journalism school shows practical knowledge and ability and signals to employers that you are well prepared for the job and taking it seriously as a full-time occupation.
Those who are not major in journalism can study creative writing or communication studies before embarking on a career as a journalist.
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Find an internship
Gaining experience is the best way to prove that you know how to do the job. Try an internship with a newsroom, magazine publisher, or other media company. Learn as much as you can from the professional journalists and qualified people around you to best prepare for the work ahead.
An internship is imminent that could lead to valuable resources or connections in the future.
If you have experience writing for your high school or college newspaper, make sure to include this on your resume as it can help you find a coveted internship.
Develop your writing skills
Blogging or working as a freelance writer for news organizations or other media outlets is another way to gain experience.
Write about things that get people’s attention and show that you can find a story in the heart of any event.
This can help you build your resume and potentially get you an entry-level job that will get you on your way to a career in journalism.
Network
Connect with editors, news reporters, and other journalists in related fields. These people can give you all of their previous experience and helpful advice as you work your way up to become a professional journalist.
Connect with and familiarize yourself with the people you share your industry with and what they do. The larger your network, the more likely you are to come up with your name for reference.
Careers in Journalism
Journalism is a diverse profession with many opportunities. There are specialized tasks for journalists within various media areas (television, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc.). Depending on the size of an organization, a journalist can perform one or more of these tasks:
Reporter
Reporters are directly involved in information gathering. They conduct interviews, search for sources and collect all the information necessary to write a well-rounded news story.
Reporters also present the information in written or oral form in news, documentaries, or feature articles.
General reporters cover all types of news, but some may specialize in specific areas such as sports, politics, or lifestyle. Some reporters may work as employees for large news agencies or as freelance writers writing stories that they pay for.
Editor
Editors can oversee sections of specific publications and/or websites (i.e., a sports editor, a political editor, an arts and entertainment editor) or be responsible for an entire website or publication.
Your task is to plan and coordinate the work of authors, photographers, videographers, and other content providers, to award and supervise projects, and to maintain the editorial quality of the media company.
Sub-editor
Take stories written by reporters and put them into a format that meets the specific needs of their newspaper, magazine, or website. Sub-editors don’t collect the information themselves, but rather focus on better tailoring existing stories to a specific audience.
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News editors
are the people in charge of all news journalists. You all decide which stories to cover and who does the work. In large news agencies, news editors may have a deputy, often called the chief of staff, who assign reporters for selected articles.
Write longer stories that provide more background information about a message. This type of writing requires much more in-depth research to provide readers with a long and informative article.
Art directors
Art directors work at magazines and newspapers, advertising agencies, PR firms, and in film and video production and monitor the visual style of content, be it in print, online, or film and video. You are often part of a team of editors, photographers, artists, and other content providers.
Broadcast news analysts
Broadcast news analysts are yesterday’s presenters and tomorrow’s webcast hosts. They are on-air personalities and behind-the-scenes writers, producers, and reporters whose job is to sort and interpret news events and turn them into stories for broadcast purposes.
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Photojournalists
Use photography to cover the news. You can discuss events with a reporter, snap photos to tell a written story, or attend news events alone and do both.
A photojournalist needs to wear photographic equipment and make instant decisions in order to capture important events instantly. Sometimes they can face physical hazards, crowds, or harsh weather conditions.
How Much Do Journalists Make In 2023?
Journalist salaries vary widely from region to region, state to state, and job to job. For example, freelance writers can make up to $ 2 per word of stories for national magazines or as little as $ 50 per story for an online site.
For this reason, the BLS does not have reliable data for individual journalism jobs, but the three graphs below show what salaries look like across the occupation.
| Journalism jobs | Median Annual Wages |
|---|---|
| Reporters, correspondents, and broadcast news analysts | $37,090 |
| Broadcast news analysts | $55,380 |
| Editors | $53,880 |
| Reporters and correspondents | $35,870 |
What Are Highest Paying Employment Sectors for Journalists?
- Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations– $76,210
- Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers– $66,640
- Social Advocacy Organizations– $74,680
- Cable and Other Subscription Programming– $63,780
- Other Information Services– $63,270
What are the Key skills for journalists?
Every journalist must have the following skills;
- Enthusiasm
- Stamina
- Determination
- Confidence
- Perseverance
- Excellent oral or written skills
- Interpersonal skills
Journalism Career prospects
After a long period of growth in the 20th century, journalism is undoubtedly in the midst of a major upheaval that has resulted in fewer jobs and uncertain prospects since the advent of the Internet and the rapid spread of digital platforms for news and entertainment.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a net decrease in reporter and correspondent jobs of 13 percent through 2022, largely due to lower advertising revenues in print, radio, and television. At the same time, however, online journalism is growing rapidly and media companies are investing heavily in new media opportunities.
Conclusion
Before you take up a career as a journalist, it is important you learn what the profession is all about. We hope our article is beneficial to you.
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