About News Reporters

The job of the news reporter is constantly evolving. Reporters used to be located entirely within the domain of newspapers, but radio and then TV changed all that. The Internet has created opportunities for just about anybody to cover news, but merely reporting the news does not make one a professional news reporter. The news that is reported has even changed; the influence of tabloid journalism and infotainment has trickled down to the most respectable of news organizations from the New York Times to the CBS Evening News.

Persistence

One of the most important qualities that an aspiring news reporter--as well as a practicing journalist--is persistence. Tenacity is an essential component in breaking into the world journalism, and it becomes perhaps even more important in the actual job of following up a story and getting the truth before it can be reported.

Appearance

Unpleasant and unfair as it may be, the physical appearance of a person has an influence on what kind of career they may want to pursue as a news reporter. Looks have far less influence in newspaper reporting and radio reporting than they do in the medium of television. Despite the infamous 1980s lawsuit won by reporter Christine Craft after she had been demoted because she was deemed too unattractive, the majority of on-screen anchors tend to be telegenic.

Libel

A news reporter is always open to charges of libel and defamation, but actually proving it in court is entirely different. In order for a news reporter to be found guilty of libel, several conditions must be met. The reporter must imply the commission of a crime when none has been committed. The object of the libelous statements must prove that those statements were injurious to the person's reputation or credibility. Libelous statements must also incite public ridicule or contempt.

Types

Several types of news reporters exist, and they each require different skills. The typical news reporter is the one who follows a story by asking questions and getting the facts about who, what, where, when, why and how. There are also news reporters who give analysis and opinion of those facts. The local weather forecaster is also considered a news reporter, as is the reporter who offers a daily roundup of sports scores and transaction news. Business reporters specifically cover stories related to economic news and entertainment reporters specialize in what is called soft journalism.

Beats

There are two different kinds of beats a reporter can cover: topic and geographical. Topics beats are simply topics that transcend geography, such as politics, crime, sports, science. Any subject that is not localized to a specific area falls under a topical beat. Geographical beats are specific to a location. This location can be an entire city in which a reporter is expected to cover anything that happens, or it can be very specific, such a courthouse beat or the educational beat.

Education

Education is far more important in the world of news reporting today that it used to be. In the glory days of newspapermen, not having a degree or even any kind of training might have been considered preferable. With more than 1,500 educational institutions offering programs in journalism and communications, the sheer number of highly trained and educated reporters makes it more difficult than ever for the untrained to break in.

Earnings

According to the Occupational Employment Statistic survey program, the median salary for news reporters is around $34,000 a year. Print reporters on average earn roughly $7,000 less than broadcast reporters, but that figure may be slightly skewed due to the extravagant salaries of superstar reporters.

Resources

• Museum of Broadcast Communication Story on Christine Craft
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Report on Reporters