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News Analysts, Reporters and Correspondents
Overview » Industry Pathways » Journalism and Broadcasting 
Check out this video featuring CNN news anchor Daryn Kagan. She discusses what her job is all about, what she was doing at your age to prepare, and much more!
News analysts, reporters and correspondents are the workers we rely on for providing us up-to-date, accurate and fair coverage of news worthy events. These workers gather information, prepare stories, and make broadcasts that inform us about local, state, national, and international events.
News analysts examine, interpret, and broadcast news received from various sources. They also are called newscasters or news anchors. News anchors present news stories and introduce videotaped news or live transmissions from on-the-scene reporters.
Some newscasters at large stations and networks specialize in a particular type of news, such as sports or weather.
In covering a story, reporters investigate leads and news tips, look at documents, observe events at the scene, and interview people. Reporters take notes and also may take photographs or shoot videos. At their office, they organize the material, determine the focus or emphasis, write their stories, and edit accompanying video material. Many reporters enter information or write stories on laptop computers, and electronically submit the material to their offices from remote locations.
In some cases, news writers write a story from information collected and submitted by reporters. Radio and television reporters often compose stories and report “live” from the scene. At times, they later tape an introduction to their story in the studio.
General assignment reporters write about newsworthy occurrences, such as an accident, a political rally, the visit of a celebrity, or a company going out of business. Large newspapers and radio and television stations assign reporters to gather news about specific topics or “beats.” Some reporters specialize in fields such as health, politics, foreign affairs, sports, theater, consumer affairs, social events, science, business, or religion.
Investigative reporters cover stories that may take many days or weeks of information gathering. Some publications use teams of reporters instead of assigning specific beats, allowing reporters to cover a greater variety of stories. News teams may include reporters, editors, graphic artists, and photographers, working together to complete a story.
News analysts, reporters, and correspondents held about 67,000 jobs in 2006. About 60 percent worked for newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishers. Another 25 percent worked in radio and television broadcasting. About 4,100 news analysts, reporters, and correspondents were self-employed.
Employment of news analysts, reporters, and correspondents is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2016—the result of mergers, consolidations, and closures of newspapers; decreased circulation, increased expenses, and a decline in advertising profits. In addition to consolidation of local newspaper and television and radio station ownership, increasing competition for viewers from cable networks also should limit employment growth.
Some job growth is expected in new media areas, such as online newspapers and magazines. Some news analysts, reporters, and correspondents find the work too stressful and hectic or do not like the lifestyle, and transfer to other occupations.
Most opportunities will be with small town and suburban newspapers and radio and television stations. Competition will continue to be keen for more sought-after jobs on large metropolitan and national newspapers, broadcast stations and networks, and magazines. Talented writers who can handle highly specialized scientific or technical subjects have an advantage.
Journalism graduates have the background for work in closely related fields such as advertising and public relations, and many take jobs in these fields. Other graduates accept sales, managerial, or other non-media positions.
The number of job openings in the newspaper and broadcasting industries—in which news analysts, reporters, and correspondents are employed—is sensitive to economic ups and downs, because these industries depend on advertising revenue.
Most employers prefer individuals with a bachelor’s degree in journalism or mass communications, but some hire graduates with other majors. They look for experience on school newspapers or broadcasting stations and internships with news organizations. Large-city newspapers and stations also may prefer candidates with a degree in a subject-matter specialty such as economics, political science, or business. Some large newspapers and broadcasters may hire only experienced reporters.
Bachelor’s degree programs in journalism are available at more than 400 colleges or universities. About three-fourths of the courses in a typical curriculum are in liberal arts; the remaining courses are in journalism. Students planning a career in broadcasting take courses in radio and television news and production. Those planning newspaper or magazine careers usually specialize in news-editorial journalism. To create a story for an online presentation, they need to know how to use computer software to combine online story text with audio and video elements and graphics.
Many community and junior colleges offer journalism courses or programs. Credits may be transferable to four-year journalism programs. Some graduate programs are intended primarily as preparation for news careers, while others prepare journalism teachers, researchers and theorists, and advertising and public relations workers.
Although reporters need good word processing skills, computer graphics and desktop publishing skills also are useful. Knowledge of news photography also is valuable for entry-level positions, which sometimes combine the responsibilities of a reporter with those of a camera operator or photographer.
Employers report that practical experience is the most important part of education and training. Upon graduation, many students have already gained much practical experience through part-time or summer jobs or through internships with news organizations. Most newspapers, magazines, and broadcast news organizations offer reporting and editing internships. Work on high school and college newspapers, at broadcasting stations, or on community papers also provides practical training.
Most reporters start at small publications or broadcast stations as general assignment reporters or copy editors. Large publications and stations hire few recent graduates; they typically require new reporters to have several years of experience.
Beginning reporters cover court proceedings and civic and club meetings, summarize speeches, and write obituaries. With experience, they report more difficult assignments, cover an assigned beat, or specialize in a particular field.
Some news analysts and reporters can advance by moving to larger newspapers or stations. A few experienced reporters become columnists, correspondents, writers, announcers, or public relations specialists. Others become editors in print journalism or program managers in broadcast journalism, supervising reporters. Some eventually become broadcasting or publishing industry managers.
Salaries for news analysts, reporters, and correspondents vary widely. Typical annual earnings of news analysts, reporters, and correspondents were $34,690 in 2007.
If you are interested in this occupation or are wondering about related occupations, use the links below to continue your exploration. Always remember, the more effort you put into exploring possible careers, the easier it will be for you to discover the best career choices for you!
For career information and links to employment resources contact:
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/oco/
Occupational Information Network, O*NET Online: http://online.onetcenter.org/
For information on broadcasting education and scholarship resources, contact:
National Association of Broadcasters: http://www.nab.org
Names and locations of newspapers and a list of schools and departments of journalism are published in the Editor and Publisher International Year Book, available in most public libraries and newspaper offices.
For information about planning and paying for college, visit Junior Achievement’s Financial Aid Center.
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