News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

What the job really is

Narrate or write news stories, reviews, or commentary for print, broadcast, or other communications media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. May collect and analyze information through interview, investigation, or observation.

At a glance

• Sector: Arts, Design & Media
• O*NET-SOC code: 27-3023
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Write commentaries, columns, or scripts, using computers.
• Coordinate and serve as an anchor on news broadcast programs.
• Examine news items of local, national, and international significance to determine topics to address, or obtain assignments from editorial staff members.
• Analyze and interpret news and information received from various sources to broadcast the information.
• Receive assignments or evaluate leads or tips to develop story ideas.
• Research a story's background information to provide complete and accurate information.
• Arrange interviews with people who can provide information about a story.
• Gather information and develop perspectives about news subjects through research, interviews, observation, and experience.
• Select material most pertinent to presentation, and organize this material into appropriate formats.
• Present news stories, and introduce in-depth videotaped segments or live transmissions from on-the-scene reporters.
• 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.

Tools and technology

Adobe After Effects, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Facebook, Hypertext markup language HTML, IBM SPSS Statistics, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft SQL Server

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys
• Editors
• Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers
• Writers and Authors
• Producers and Directors
• Media Programming Directors
• Film and Video Editors
• Public Relations Specialists

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.