How to Become a Journalist
September 21, 2022
Before we directly look at how to become a journalist, a quick history lesson…In the period following Watergate, roughly 82% of the young people in the world decided to become investigative journalists in the hopes of becoming the next Woodward & Bernstein (perhaps a slight exaggeration). The glamorous appeal of sitting in a cubicle in the newsroom of a major metropolitan paper at 2 AM, sporting a short sleeve, white dress shirt and drinking cup after cup of Maxwell House, all while bringing down “the powers that be” was simply too much to resist.
Fast forward forty years, and the career of a journalist is almost unrecognizable from its previous form. Pure print journalism has given way in favor of web-based reporting, independently-run blogs, podcasts, tweets, and the technologically-oriented like. The media is no longer an exclusive club controlled by a handful of newspaper publishers and the owners of the major broadcasting networks. The gatekeepers that used to stand guard and make entering this field and reaching an audience have been overrun by New Media advances. While many lament the fall of traditional journalism, the seismic shift of the last two decades has created a field where anyone with an area of expertise and a unique voice can find an audience—a development not without its career advantages.
Journalism versus Broadcast Journalism
The line between these two fields has faded faster than most newspapers circulation counts. In 2022, print reporters are often asked to create video content to accompany articles. They must seek out media appearances to promote their publication. Lastly, they are to snare as many Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus followers as they possibly can.
To accommodate an ever-changing industry, many institutions, including the University of Georgia, Boston College and the University of Missouri now offer students a bevy of concentration options under the general umbrella of “journalism,” such as community journalism, entrepreneurial journalism, visual journalism, magazine journalism, health and science journalism, and so on.
Of course, students who want to work exclusively in television news still typically major in broadcast journalism where they learn the ins and outs of the industry, both in front of and behind the camera.
Does Going to a Prestigious Undergraduate School Help?
Journalism is a field built on what you are able to produce. A state college grad who writes beautifully and knows how to tap sources and produce engaging content will never take a backseat to an Ivy Leaguer whose reporting is mediocre.
On the other hand, attending a school with an elite journalism school can help with landing an internship and networking if your aim is to work at a major newspaper, magazine, website, or television market. Schools with notable communications/journalism programs such as Syracuse, UNC, Northwestern, and Columbia can provide grads with huge alumni networking bases and therefore premier internship and entry-level job opportunities. Thus, it should come as no surprise that each of these institutions is featured on our “Top Feeders” list revealing which schools produce the highest percentage of graduates landing jobs at top news outlets.
Click here for our Best Colleges for Journalism.
Gain Experience in the Field
The beauty of the journalism field is that opportunities to try-it-out in high school are abundant. Heck, even most middle schools publish a paper and air morning announcements. If you want to be a journalist, start today. There are countless opportunities to begin publishing work outside of your high school. Start a blog, freelance for a small local paper—whatever allows you to write, write, and write some more.
Think About a Double Major
It never hurts to carve out a niche area of expertise in the journalism field. For example, a background in an area like science, computer science, or economics can allow you to write on topics and for publications that many other young journalists simply wouldn’t have the ability to tackle. Those with a strong knowledge base in a given area may find better prospects than generalists.
Journalist Salaries
This is a field where salaries are most commonly modest and, in rare instances, where notoriety is achieved, outrageously high. The average salary for someone in the radio, television, or print journalism field is around $49,300. For local news anchors and reporters in small markets around the United States salaries average as low as the mid-20s. Small market jobs constitute the majority of the positions in this field. However, those who rise to the top of the profession and get plucked up by a top 25 market can expect salaries in the low six-figures. Of course, celebrity journalists are paid like NBA stars. The Anderson Cooper’s and Diane Sawyers of the world take home more than 10 million per year.
Plan the Financial End
Don’t plan on hitting that 20 million dollar mark right away. In fact, $20 per hour is likely more accurate. Then, there is the matter of relocation…As a journalist you need to be willing to travel. Very rarely will someone begin their career in broadcast journalism in a major market. If you are a budding sports writer, get ready to cover the Billings Bighorns junior hockey team in Montana before you get a crack at the New York Rangers. From a financial standpoint, two things are important to plan for. First, is the need to travel. Second, is the likelihood that you will not make much money early in your career. It goes without saying that taking out massive undergraduate loans could hinder your mobility. Debt could then stand in the way of essential early career opportunities.
Also feel free to check out previous career-oriented blogs that may be of interest, including. How to Become a:
