What Do Reporters Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Reporters collect and analyze facts about newsworthy events by interview, investigation, or observation. Report and write stories for newspaper, news magazine, radio, or television. They also receive assignments or evaluate leads or tips to develop story ideas.

Other tasks include:

• Research a story’s background information to provide complete and accurate information.
• Arrange interviews with people who can provide information about a story.
• Establish and maintain relationships with individuals who are credible sources of information.
• Report news stories for publication or broadcast, describing the background and details of events.
• Gather information about events through research, interviews, experience, or attendance at political, news, sports, artistic, social, or other functions.
• Revise work to meet editorial approval or to fit time or space requirements.

We asked Reporters how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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67% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 55% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Reporters receive assignments or evaluate leads or tips to develop story ideas. They research a story’s background information to provide complete and accurate information.

A typical day for a Reporter and Correspondent will also include:

• Edit or assist in editing videos for broadcast.
• Review and evaluate notes taken about news events to isolate pertinent facts and details.
• Communicate with readers, viewers, advertisers, or the general public via mail, email, or telephone.
• Arrange interviews with people who can provide information about a story.
• Gather information about events through research, interviews, experience, or attendance at political, news, sports, artistic, social, or other functions.

We asked some Reporters a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	95% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	27% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	73% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	36% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	5% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	59% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Reporters also write reviews of literary, musical, or other artwork, based on knowledge, judgment, or experience. They may also write columns, editorials, commentaries, or reviews that interpret events or offer opinions.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Reporters Discuss issues with editors to establish priorities or positions. They might also Develop ideas or material for columns or commentaries by analyzing and interpreting news, current issues, or personal experiences.

In addition, they Write online blog entries that address news developments or offer additional information, opinions, or commentary on news events.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Establish and maintain relationships with individuals who are credible sources of information.

To some Reporters, it is also their responsibility to Determine a published or broadcasted story’s emphasis, length, and format and organize material accordingly.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Reporter and Correspondent, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/media-and-communication/reporters-correspondents-and-broadcast-news-analysts.htm

https://www.nab.org/

http://www.rtdna.org/

https://www.spj.org/