What Does a Reporter Do?
Reporters sit through council meetings, court hearings and press conferences, chase down sources and public records, and turn what they find into stories, often several a day. They write or record for newspapers, websites, TV and radio stations and university news offices. Every name gets checked before a story is filed.
Also known as: Senior Reporter
Reporter Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a reporter include:
- Pitch story ideas to editors and develop leads from tips, records and community contacts.
- Interview sources in person, by phone and by video, recording quotes accurately.
- Research public records, court filings and data sets to verify facts and find stories.
- Write clear news stories and features to length and deadline, often several a day.
- Cover council meetings, trials, press conferences and breaking news as they happen.
- Shoot photos, audio and short video on a phone to accompany online stories.
- Check spelling of names, titles and figures before filing; correct errors promptly after publication.
- Post updates to the website and social media as stories develop through the day.
- Build and keep a network of sources on an assigned beat such as schools or health.
- Follow legal and ethical standards on libel, privacy, attribution and conflicts of interest.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a reporter, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Fast, accurate news writing
- AP style
- Interviewing and note-taking
- Public records and basic data research
- Mobile photo, audio and video skills
- Content management systems
- Persistence with reluctant sources
- Bachelor's degree in journalism or communications
Education and Training
Most newsrooms want a bachelor's degree. Whenever possible, collect published clips that tie your reporting to real stories you've covered for student media, internships or local outlets. The key to landing a first job, then, is to show editors you can report accurately, write fast and handle audio or video as well.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $45,370 - $98,450 per year, with a median of $62,200.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists.
According to BLS, employment of news analysts, reporters and journalists is projected to fall about 6 percent in the decade ending in 2035. While newspapers have cut staff for years, the group should still see roughly 3,400 openings a year as people retire, change careers or move into public relations and communications work. Reporters who can handle data, audio and video are more likely to find work in digital outlets and public media.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, News analysts, reporters, and journalists.