How Can I Start a Career as a News Reporter?
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- by Owl Staff
- Posted on Dec 7th, 2009
- Filed under: Lifestyle / Careers
- Tagged with: how-to-start-news-career, journalism-career, news-reporter
- More
A career in news reporting was once the domain of journalism schools across the U.S. Local news reporting for national television affiliates is still going strong to this day, but the content of what constitutes "news reporting" is undergoing the largest change in the history of news reporting.
Instead of having a one-way conversation with a viewer, news reporters are now actively engaging the audience asking for a two-way conversation. News reporting on television is a two-way affair, with viewers constantly being asked to assist news reporting in many ways. Many viewers have even been recruited as "citizen journalists," as there are fare more viewers to cover news than actual news reporters and photojournalists.
To start a career as a news reporter, ask yourself these questions:
1. Will a non-traditional work day be your friend or foe? News doesn't happen during banking hours -- it happens 24 hours a day, something you need to be ready for if you plan on having a career as a news reporter. Your relationships, family and other things may need to adjust to your non-standard work day (and weekend in many cases).
2. Become a diligent fact checker. Nothing is as important to a news reporting career as reporting integrity. Don't make stuff up and don't fabricate information to fill holes in a story. If the facts aren't available, shelve the story until they are. Many people are watching and scrutinizing your delivery and news product --and that in itself can make or break your career as a news reporter. Omissions and flaws will definitely be brought to your attention. Grow thick skin if you don't have it already. Every news reporter needs one.
3. Learn fast and use all the tools at your disposal. Your schooling probably gave you the basics of news reporting -- but the daily practice evolves constantly. Want to recruit loyal viewers and followers? Don't think about ending your day with a television newscast. Publish website stories where you work, maintain a decent Facebook account and use Twitter to constantly ping your audience about news stories they should look to you for. Have fun with it -- don't be stiff as a board. If you want a career as a news reporter, you have to understand that to succeed, it's best to interact like humans, not machines.
A career as a news reporter is as exciting as it's ever been -- and the tools to formulate and communicate news are so plentiful and immediate that your job as a news reporter should be fairly straightforward as you master your craft. Don't be intimidated by the world. Be confident, informed and keep your passion for news and the reporting presentation of that news.
Instead of having a one-way conversation with a viewer, news reporters are now actively engaging the audience asking for a two-way conversation. News reporting on television is a two-way affair, with viewers constantly being asked to assist news reporting in many ways. Many viewers have even been recruited as "citizen journalists," as there are fare more viewers to cover news than actual news reporters and photojournalists.
To start a career as a news reporter, ask yourself these questions:
1. Will a non-traditional work day be your friend or foe? News doesn't happen during banking hours -- it happens 24 hours a day, something you need to be ready for if you plan on having a career as a news reporter. Your relationships, family and other things may need to adjust to your non-standard work day (and weekend in many cases).
2. Become a diligent fact checker. Nothing is as important to a news reporting career as reporting integrity. Don't make stuff up and don't fabricate information to fill holes in a story. If the facts aren't available, shelve the story until they are. Many people are watching and scrutinizing your delivery and news product --and that in itself can make or break your career as a news reporter. Omissions and flaws will definitely be brought to your attention. Grow thick skin if you don't have it already. Every news reporter needs one.
3. Learn fast and use all the tools at your disposal. Your schooling probably gave you the basics of news reporting -- but the daily practice evolves constantly. Want to recruit loyal viewers and followers? Don't think about ending your day with a television newscast. Publish website stories where you work, maintain a decent Facebook account and use Twitter to constantly ping your audience about news stories they should look to you for. Have fun with it -- don't be stiff as a board. If you want a career as a news reporter, you have to understand that to succeed, it's best to interact like humans, not machines.
A career as a news reporter is as exciting as it's ever been -- and the tools to formulate and communicate news are so plentiful and immediate that your job as a news reporter should be fairly straightforward as you master your craft. Don't be intimidated by the world. Be confident, informed and keep your passion for news and the reporting presentation of that news.
