News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist

Narrate or write news stories, reviews, or commentary for print, broadcast, or other communications media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. May collect and analyze information through interview, investigation, or observation.

On the job, you would:

Write commentaries, columns, or scripts, using computers.
Coordinate and serve as an anchor on news broadcast programs.
Examine news items of local, national, and international significance to determine topics to address, or obtain assignments from editorial staff members.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. News analysts, reporters, and journalists must be able to clearly convey information. Strong writing skills also are important.

Interpersonal skills. To develop contacts and conduct interviews, news analysts, reporters, and journalists must be able to build relationships. They also need to work well with other journalists, editors, and news directors.

Persistence. News analysts, reporters, and journalists must be determined when pursuing stories or articles. Investigating topics and gathering facts may be difficult, particularly when those involved refuse to be interviewed or to provide comment.

Stamina. The work of news analysts, reporters, and journalists is often fast paced and exhausting. They must be able to adapt to the irregular hours of work.

Technological skills. News analysts, reporters, and journalists should be able to use editing equipment and other broadcast-related devices. They also should be able to use multimedia and coding software in order to publish stories on websites and mobile devices.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		95%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		93%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		90%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		89%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		88%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		86%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		82%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		81%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		81%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		77%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		72%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		70%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		69%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		67%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		66%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		64%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		89%	Artistic - Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
		58%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		78%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		75%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
		70%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		64%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		63%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		81%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		80%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		78%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		76%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		75%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		72%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		70%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		69%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		67%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
		66%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		64%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		64%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		55%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		52%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		66%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		63%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		62%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		58%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		57%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		56%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		54%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Write informational material.

Report news to the public.

Coordinate reporting or editing activities.

Determine presentation subjects or content.

Analyze information obtained from news sources.

Gather information for news stories.

Coordinate logistics for productions or events.

Gather information for news stories.

Determine presentation subjects or content.

Report news to the public.

Develop professional relationships or networks.

Report news to the public.

Edit written materials.

Analyze information obtained from news sources.

Gather information for news stories.

Edit written materials.

Gather information for news stories.

Report news to the public.

Determine presentation subjects or content.

Operate communications, transmissions, or broadcasting equipment.

Gather information for news stories.

Coordinate reporting or editing activities.

Operate still or video cameras or related equipment.

Inform viewers, listeners, or audiences.

Gather information for news stories.

Operate still or video cameras or related equipment.

Interview others for news or entertainment purposes.

Monitor current trends.

Correspond with customers to answer questions or resolve complaints.

Write informational material.

Coordinate reporting or editing activities.

Write informational material.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		97%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		96%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		91%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		89%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		89%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		88%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		87%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		86%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		84%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		83%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		79%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
		75%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		72%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		72%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		68%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		60%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		57%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		54%	In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?
		54%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		51%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		73%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		95%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		87%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		84%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		79%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		77%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		77%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		74%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		73%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		72%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		71%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		71%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		70%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		68%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		64%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		64%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		59%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		54%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		52%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

What News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists Do

news analysts, reporters, and journalists image

Those who work in television and radio set up and conduct interviews, which can be broadcast live or recorded for future broadcasts.

News analysts, reporters, and journalists keep the public updated about current events and noteworthy information. They report international, national, and local news for newspapers, magazines, websites, television, and radio.

Duties

News analysts, reporters, and journalists typically do the following:

Research topics that an editor or news director has assigned to them
Develop relationships with experts and contacts who provide tips and leads on stories or articles
Interview people who have information, analysis, or opinions about a story or article
Analyze and interpret information to increase audience understanding of the news
Write stories or articles for newspapers, magazines, or websites and create scripts to be read on television or radio
Review stories or articles for accuracy, style, and grammar
Update stories or articles as new information becomes available
Investigate new story or article ideas and pitch ideas to editors

News analysts, reporters, and journalists often work for a particular type of media organization, such as a television or radio station, newspaper, or website.

Those who work in television and radio set up and conduct interviews, which can be broadcast live or recorded for future broadcasts. These workers often edit interviews and other recordings to create a cohesive story or report, and they write and record voiceovers to provide the audience with supplementary facts or context. They may create multiple versions of the same story or report for different broadcasts or media platforms.

News analysts, reporters, and journalists for print media conduct interviews and write stories or articles to be used in newspapers, magazines, and online publications. Because most newspapers and magazines have print and online versions, these workers’ content typically appears in both versions. As a result, they must stay up to date with developments related to a content item and update the online version with current information, if necessary.

Outlets are increasingly relying on multimedia journalists to publish content on a variety of platforms, such as a video content on the website of a daily newspaper. Multimedia journalists typically record, report, write, and edit their own stories or articles. They also gather the audio, video, or graphics that accompany their content.

News analysts, reporters, and journalists may need to maintain a social media presence. Many use social media to cover live events, provide additional information for readers and viewers, promote their stations and newscasts, and engage with their audiences.

Some workers, particularly those in large cities or large news organizations, cover a particular topic, such as sports, medicine, or politics. Those who work in small cities, towns, or organizations may be generalists and cover a wide range of subjects.

Some news analysts, reporters, and journalists are self-employed and accept freelance assignments from news organizations. Because freelancers are paid for individual stories or articles, they may work with many organizations and spend some of their time marketing their content and looking for their next assignment. Self-employed news analysts, reporters, and journalists also may publish news and videos on their own platforms.

The following are examples of types of news analysts, reporters, and journalists:

Columnists write articles offering an opinion or perspective about a particular subject. They submit a piece to a publication, often on a schedule, such as once per week. Their work may be published in a newspaper, magazine, or other outlet or self-published on the columnist’s website.

Correspondents report the news to a radio or television network from a remote location. Those who cover international events, called foreign correspondents, often live in another country and report about a specific region of the world.

News anchors lead television or radio shows that describe current events. Others are news commentators who analyze and interpret reports and offer opinions. They may come from fields outside of journalism and have expertise in a particular subject, such as finance, and are hired on a contract basis to provide their opinion on that subject.

These workers also may collaborate with editors, photographers, videographers, and other reporters and journalists when working on an article or story.

For information about workers with a background in this field who teach journalism or communications at colleges and universities, see the profile on postsecondary teachers.

Work Environment

News analysts, reporters, and journalists held about 58,500 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of news analysts, reporters, and journalists were as follows:

Newspaper publishers	26%
Self-employed workers	25
Media streaming distribution services, social networks, and other media networks and content providers	22
Television broadcasting stations	15
Radio broadcasting stations	3

News analysts, reporters, and journalists spend a lot of time in the field, conducting interviews and investigating stories or articles. Reporters spend some time in an office or newsroom, but they often travel to be on location for events or to meet contacts and file stories remotely.

Injuries and Illnesses

Working on news items about some topics or events, such as conflicts and natural disasters, may put news analysts, reporters, and journalists in dangerous situations. In addition, reporters often face pressure or stress when trying to meet a deadline or cover breaking news.

Work Schedules

Most news analysts, reporters, and journalists work full time, and their schedules vary. They may need to work additional hours or change their schedules in order to follow breaking news. Because news can happen at any time, they may need to work nights and weekends. They may also work nights and weekends to lead news programs or provide commentary.

Getting Started

Education:

How to Become a News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist

News analysts, reporters, and journalists must be determined when pursuing stories or articles.

News analysts, reporters, and journalists typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation. Internship or work experience on a college newspaper, radio station, or television station also may be helpful.

Education

News analysts, reporters, and journalists typically need a bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a related field, such as English.

Bachelor’s degree programs in journalism and communications include courses in journalistic ethics and techniques for researching topics and conducting interviews. Some programs may require students to study liberal arts subjects, such as history and economics, to prepare for covering a range of topics. Students may further specialize in the type of journalism they wish to pursue, such as print or broadcast.

Journalism students may benefit from courses in multimedia design, coding, and programming to be able to develop content that includes video, audio, data, and graphics.

Other Experience

Employers generally prefer to hire candidates who have had an internship or have worked on school newspapers, radio stations, or TV stations. While attending college, students may seek multiple internships with different news organizations. Internships allow students to gain experience and develop samples of their writing or their on-air appearances.

News commentators who come from a field outside of journalism typically have expertise in areas on which they comment.

Advancement

After gaining experience, field reporters at a local news station may become that station’s anchor. News analysts, reporters, and journalists may also advance by moving from news organizations in small cities or towns to news organizations in large cities. Large markets may offer opportunities for more responsibility and challenges. Reporters and journalists also may become editors or news directors.

Job Outlook

Employment of news analysts, reporters, and journalists is projected to decline 3 percent from 2022 to 2032.

Despite declining employment, about 6,000 openings for news analysts, reporters, and journalists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Declining advertising revenue in radio, newspapers, and television is expected to impact the long-term demand for these workers. In addition, television and radio stations are continuing to publish content online and on mobile devices. As a result, news organizations may have difficulty selling traditional forms of advertising, which is often their primary source of revenue.

News organizations also continue to consolidate and increasingly share resources, staff, and content with other media outlets. As consolidations, mergers, and news sharing continue, the demand for journalists may decrease as organizations downsize.

In some instances, however, consolidation provides increased funding and resources from the larger organization that helps limit the loss of jobs. In addition, increasing demand for online news may offset some of the impacts from declining advertising revenue and downsizing.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about news analysts, reporters, and journalists, visit

National Association of Broadcasters

Online News Association

Radio Television Digital News Association

Society of Professional Journalists

For more information about internships, visit

Dow Jones News Fund

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of news analysts, reporters, and journalists.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Atmospheric Scientists, Including Meteorologists	Atmospheric scientists study, report on, and forecast the weather and climate.	Bachelor's degree	$83,780
Broadcast, Sound, and Video Technicians	Broadcast, sound, and video technicians set up, operate, and maintain the electrical equipment for media programs.	See How to Become One	$53,960
Editors	Editors plan, review, and revise content for publication.	Bachelor's degree	$73,080
Film and Video Editors and Camera Operators	Film and video editors and camera operators manipulate moving images that entertain or inform an audience.	Bachelor's degree	$62,420
Photographers	Photographers use their technical expertise, creativity, and composition skills to produce and preserve images.	High school diploma or equivalent	$40,170
Public Relations and Fundraising Managers	Public relations managers direct the creation of materials that will enhance the public image of their employer or client. Fundraising managers coordinate campaigns that bring in donations for their organization.	Bachelor's degree	$125,620
Public Relations Specialists	Public relations specialists create and maintain a positive public image for the clients they represent.	Bachelor's degree	$67,440
Technical Writers	Technical writers prepare instruction manuals, how-to guides, journal articles, and other supporting documents to communicate complex and technical information more easily.	Bachelor's degree	$79,960
Writers and Authors	Writers and authors develop written content for various types of media.	Bachelor's degree	$73,150

News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Important Qualities

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

What News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists Do

Duties

Work Environment

Injuries and Illnesses

Work Schedules

Getting Started

How to Become a News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist

Education

Other Experience

Advancement

Job Outlook

Employment

Contacts for More Information

Similar Occupations