Journalists job description

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Journalism is the bringing of new information to the public’s attention using a variety of media. A journalist’s main role is the present new information in an attractive and appealing style to engage the listener or reader in a more compelling way than their competitors do. Being a successful journalist requires long, unpredictable hours, and includes interviewing clients, researching information, recording data and information through several strategies, and writing articles/scripts from sources
A journalist needs to have excellent writing skills, both in short and long hand, to be efficient in that position. A keen interest in current affairs, sound typing and computer skills, an inquisitive nature, strong interpersonal skills and an ability to think critically and analytically are important skills needed to succeed in this highly competitive field
Salaries change according to the position level the candidate is applying for. Entry level journalists for local areas earn somewhere in the vicinity of £15,000, while senior reporters in the same area receive about £24,000. National journalists enjoy the highest salaries but have higher pressure jobs, attracting salaries upwards of £70,000 to £80,000. A bachelor’s degree in journalism is usually required for entry level positions.

Description

Journalists are required to research and report information related to issues, trends, and events to the rest of the people through TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, internet, etc. There are different jobs for this area depending on organisation. For instance, people working on newspapers collect information about a story or topic and then present that in the next issue of a newspaper.

Journalists usually perform many of the following tasks:
• Interviewing important people.
• Collecting information from various sources.
• Writing articles.
• Hosting an investigation programme on TV.
• Creating blog publications.

Skills

• Being able to write objectively.
• Having researching skills.
• Being creative.
• Having IT skills.
• Being able to deal with moral dilemmas.
• Having sound judgement.
• Having interpersonal abilities.
• Being able to do different tasks at the same time.
• Having good written and spoken communication skills.
• Having knowledge about modern marketing and public relations.

Education

Journalism jobs are open to different degrees related to this area. Most employers require at least good GCSE grades and a high level of English. Work experience related to this business is also valuable for most job placements and makes a difference among applicants.

There are training courses offered by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council and the National Council for the Training of Journalists, including undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

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