News Reporter Career Information
To enter into a career as a news reporter, typically one must hold a bachelor's degree in broadcasting, journalism or communication. When hiring new reporters, employers often look for candidates with publication or broadcast experience, whether at a broadcasting station, university or through internships. There is heavy competition to acquire a reporter position at the national level and in metropolitan areas because larger companies require reporters to have a great deal of experience upon being hired.
Due to the high level of competition obtaining news reporter positions at bigger publications and broadcasting stations, most aspiring reporters begin their careers at smaller companies tackling general assignments. The more experience they gain and time they spend in the field, the more likely they are to be assigned to a specialized area at higher difficulty levels.
Job Duties
The BLS reports a high level of pressure in a news reporter job due to irregular hours and tight deadlines. News reporters, also known as journalists, investigate, observe, interview and write news stories. Their general job duties include collecting information, preparing a factual story and creating articles or broadcasts that impart information to the public. These stories often involve local, state, national and international topics on current events.
Often news reporters will also carry cameras and take photos or video footage of objects or places of potential significance. It can take weeks to gather information for a story, depending on the depth and new outlet for which news reporters work. Work hours differ depending on the medium in which the reporter works; for instance, magazine reporters typically work during the day and morning paper reporters tend to work in the evenings.
Salary Info
According to the BLS, news reporters' yearly income varies greatly depending on experience and employer. In May 2013, the mean annual wage of news reporters and correspondents was $44,360. In cable and other subscription programming, the average annual wage was $53,300; in television and radio, the average salary was $48,110.