CAREER ADVICE

Getting the Word Out 

“I read it in the paper.”  Sooner or later everyone hears or states that phrase.  Even in today’s world with information of all types coming fast from every direction—the Internet, movies, television and magazines—people still read the newspaper.  The newspaper includes international, national, regional and local news.  It’s the local news stories that make reading the paper a necessity in order to stay on top of what’s going on in our community.  It’s the local news articles that can make it fun as we learn about people in our community.  International, national and regional news are equally important, as we must be aware of how our community fits into the scheme of things in the global environment. 

Newspaper reporters must be aware of what’s happening.  They investigate leads, read documents, and observe events and reactions of people at events.  They interview people to discover information that readers would want to know.  Some reporters specialize in specific fields such as business, human interest, politics, court cases, entertainment or sports.  Some reporters specialize in investigative reporting, an area in which it can take weeks or months to research a topic to discover all the facts before the story can be written. 

Teamwork is a skill that reporters must possess.  They must work side-by-side with photographers, editors and graphic artists in order to produce the best possible news story.  Teamwork is also necessary when they work with organizations that send them news releases.  When organizations send news releases to the newspaper prior to a “release date,” the organization trusts that the reporter will not release the information ahead of time because the organization and the reporter have developed a trusting, team working relationship.  Violating that trust would seriously damage the team working relationship. 

High school students looking at this career should develop a high level of skill in reading and understanding the written word.  Of course, excellent writing skills (this includes grammar and spelling) are mandatory.  High school students will find that their English and social studies classes will provide solid basic skills. The reporter must also be able to listen very carefully in order to understand details so that he or she can follow up with more questions to develop a complete story.   The completeness and accuracy of stories will make the reporter credible.  Meeting deadlines is a daily way of life for reporters, thus there can be a certain level of stress.  Not all reporters work during the day.  Stories also happen at night.  Even reporters who regularly work during the day may be called on to cover late-breaking news stories.  The Internet is providing new career opportunities because some newspapers are now completely online. 

George Ford, Financial Editor at the Cedar Rapids Gazette, has found that his career is very rewarding.  Throughout his career, Mr. Ford has been able to interview many local business people as well as visiting dignitaries.  According to Mr. Ford, “A well-rounded education is essential if you’re going to become a reporter.”  

If you are thinking about becoming a reporter, you will find that experience working on high school yearbooks and your school newspaper is helpful.  Most employers will expect that you have a bachelor’s degree, preferably in journalism.  Earnings vary widely, depending on the size of the market and the experience of the journalist. 

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