Reporters and Correspondents
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- Job Definition
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Collect and analyze facts about newsworthy events by interview, investigation, or observation. Report and write stories for newspaper, news magazine, radio, or television.
- Job Zone
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Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Interests
- Artistic - Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
- Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Knowledge
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Skills
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Tasks
- Investigate breaking news developments such as disasters, crimes, and human interest stories.
- Present live or recorded commentary via broadcast media.
- Conduct taped or filmed interviews or narratives.
- Edit or assist in editing videos for broadcast.
- Write columns, editorials, commentaries, or reviews that interpret events or offer opinions.
- Write reviews of literary, musical, and other artwork based on knowledge, judgment, and experience.
- Report and write news stories for publication or broadcast, describing the background and details of events.
- Arrange interviews with people who can provide information about a particular story.
- Review copy and correct errors in content, grammar, and punctuation, following prescribed editorial style and formatting guidelines.
- Review and evaluate notes taken about event aspects in order to isolate pertinent facts and details.
- Determine a story's emphasis, length, and format, and organize material accordingly.
- Research and analyze background information related to stories in order to be able to provide complete and accurate information.
- Gather information about events through research, interviews, experience, and attendance at political, news, sports, artistic, social, and other functions.
- Research and report on specialized fields such as medicine, science and technology, politics, foreign affairs, sports, arts, consumer affairs, business, religion, crime, or education.
- Receive assignments or evaluate leads and tips in order to develop story ideas.
- Wages
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In 2008, the California average annual wage was $45,320.00.
Most people employed in this occupation were paid between $25,420.00 and $71,620.00.
- Outlook
During 2006, there were approximately 5,800 people employed in this field in California. It is projected that there will be 6,200 employed in 2016. This occupation will have about 40 openings due to growth and about 180 replacement openings for approximately 220 total annual openings. This occupation .
- Colleges and Training
- Below are college programs that are generally associated with this occupation. To view colleges that offer these programs, click on the titles below.
- Journalism - A program that focuses on the theory and practice of gathering, processing, and delivering news and that prepares individuals to be professional print journalists, news editors, and news managers. Includes instruction in news writing and editing; reporting; photojournalism; layout and graphic design; journalism law and policy; professional standards and ethics; research methods; and journalism history and criticism.
- Broadcast Journalism - A program that focuses on the methods and techniques for reporting, producing, and delivering news and news programs via radio, television, and video/film media; and that prepares individuals to be professional broadcast journalists, editors, producers, directors, and managers. Includes instruction in the principles of broadcast technology; broadcast reporting; on- and off-camera and microphone procedures and techniques; program, sound, and video/film editing; program design and production; media law and policy; and professional standards and ethics.
- Similar Occupations
- Radio and Television Announcers - Talk on radio or television. May interview guests, act as master of ceremonies, read news flashes, identify station by giving call letters, or announce song title and artist.
- Public Address System and Other Announcers - Make announcements over loud speaker at sporting or other public events. May act as master of ceremonies or disc jockey at weddings, parties, clubs, or other gathering places.
- Broadcast News Analysts - Analyze, interpret, and broadcast news received from various sources.
- Editors - Perform variety of editorial duties, such as laying out, indexing, and revising content of written materials, in preparation for final publication.
- Technical Writers - Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.
- Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers - Create original written works, such as scripts, essays, prose, poetry or song lyrics, for publication or performance.
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