REPORTERS AND CORRESPONDENTS

Nature of the Work

Reporters and correspondents play a key role in our society.  They gather information and prepare stories that inform us about local, State, national, and international events; present points of view on current issues; and report on the actions of public officials, corporate executives, special interest groups, and others who exercise power.  In covering a story, they investigate leads and news tips, look at documents, observe on the scene, and interview people.  Reporters take notes and may also take photographs or shoot videos.  At their office, they organize the material, determine their focus or emphasis, write their stories, and may also edit videos. 

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

Most employers prefer people with a bachelor's degree in journalism, but some hire graduates with other majors.  They look for experience on school newspapers or broadcasting stations and internships with news organizations.  Large city newspapers and stations may also prefer candidates with a degree in a subject-matter specialty such as economics, political science, or business.  Large newspapers and broadcasters also require a minimum of 3 to 5 years experience as a reporter. 

Bachelor's degree programs in journalism are available in over 300
colleges.  About three-fourths of the courses in a typical curriculum are in liberal arts; the remainder are in journalism.

Job Outlook

Employment of reporters and correspondents is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2005 spurred mainly by an anticipated increase in the number of small town and suburban daily and weekly newspapers.  Little or no increase is expected in the number of big city dailies.  Some growth is expected in radio and television stations.

Earnings

The median minimum salary for reporters was about $406 a week as of August 1, 1992.  Ten percent of the contracts called for minimums of $300 or less; 10 percent, $567 or more.  The median minimum weekly salary for reporters after 3 to 6 years on the job was about $654 a week.  Ten percent of the contracts called for top minimums of $479 or less; 10 percent, $856 or more.

Annual median salaries of radio reporters ranged from $12,000 in the smallest stations to $33,388 in the largest stations in 1992.  For all stations, the median salary was $16,000.  Salaries of television reporters ranged from $16,052 in the smallest stations to $69,500 in the largest ones.  For all stations, the median salary was $21,825.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting the following organizations:

Newspaper Association of America, The Newspaper Center, Box 17407, Dulles International Airport, Washington, DC 20041.

Newspaper Association of America Foundation, 11600 Sunrise Valley Dr., Reston, VA 22091.

The Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, Inc., P.O.  Box 300, Princeton, NJ 08543-0300.

The Newspaper Guild, Research and Information Department, 8611 Second Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Kansas School of Journalism, Stauffer-Flint Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045.

Association For Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, University of South Carolina, 1621 College St., Columbia, SC 29208-0251.

National Newspaper Association, 1627 K St.  NW., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006.

Names and locations of newspapers and a list of schools and departments of journalism are published in the Editor and Publisher International Year Book, available in most public libraries and newspaper offices.


