Print journalists include reporters, sub-editors and feature writers who write news and feature articles for newspapers, magazines and periodicals.

Newspaper journalists work for local, regional or national newspapers, reporting on local or national events and subjects of topical interest.

Magazine journalists work for business, professional, consumer or specialist consumer publications.

The work falls into two broad areas:

Gathering information, which involves:

• following up leads
• responding very quickly to the latest breaking news  
• attending meetings, events and case conferences
• developing contacts
• interviewing people both face-to-face and over the phone
• taking shorthand notes or using equipment to record information
• generating ideas for stories and features
• carrying out research
• often working closely with photographers
• writing up the article (copy) in a format that conforms to a 'house style', reads well and is appropriate to the intended readership
• submitting copy for approval by the editorial team.

Ensuring that the copy is suitable for publication. This is done by sub-editors and copy editors, who:

• edit copy
• decide on page design and layout
• write headlines and picture captions.

On small publications the same journalists may be involved in both areas, and in all aspects. On larger publications roles will be more differentiated.

The work of newspaper and magazine journalists can be similar, but magazine journalists:

• write more feature articles
• work to longer deadlines than newspaper journalists
• attend editorial meetings to decide what to include in the next issue
• work closely with designers and freelance writers
• research and write news and features suited to the publication's reader profile.

For details of broadcast journalism, please see the Journalist: broadcast profile.

Hours and Environment

Journalists need to be flexible about their working hours, as following up stories and meeting deadlines often means working long, irregular hours, including evenings, weekends and public holidays.

Journalists are generally based in open-plan offices which are hectic and noisy most of the time. They also spend time out of the office, chasing up stories. There is frequent travel – depending on the publication and type of job this could be fairly local or include overnight stays away from home and overseas travel.

Skills and Interests

To be a journalist you should :

• have excellent writing skills, and awareness of the need for factual and legal accuracy
• have good listening and questioning skills
• have a good standard of spelling, grammar and punctuation
• have an enquiring mind with good observational and research skills
• be self confident and have the ability to put people at ease
• have the ability to absorb information quickly
• be determined and persistent
• have keyboard and IT skills
• be able to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
• be interested in current affairs at all levels
• be a good team worker
• be tactful and diplomatic.

Entry

You can qualify as a journalist in two main ways:

• direct entry – you are employed (usually from college or university) by a local or regional newspaper, or join a training scheme run by magazine publishing organisations and are trained on the job 
• pre-entry – you are recruited after a three-year degree course or a one-year vocational (usually postgraduate) course.

If you have a degree you can do a Postgraduate Fast Track course lasting between 18 and 20 weeks at some colleges. Please see the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) website for a list of course providers. There is a link to the website in the Further Information section of this profile.

For direct entry you will need a minimum of five GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) including English, or an equivalent qualification, but it is increasingly rare for applicants to be accepted at this level – more than 60 per cent of recruits have degrees and most others have at least two A levels or the equivalent.

Many employers will expect you to have either:

• a first degree in a subject of your choice followed by a postgraduate journalism course; or 
• a first degree in journalism.

For direct entry you should apply to the editor of local and regional newspapers. You can get contact details:

• from the latest editions of Benn's UK Media Directory and Willing's Press Guide - you should be able to find these in reference libraries
• on the Newspaper Society's website - please see the Further Information section for a link.

The NCTJ, the main body supervising newspaper training accredits a number of courses which are recognised by the industry, and also offers a range of short and distance learning courses. They also accredit some employer schemes. Details are on the NCTJ website.

For magazine journalism the following options for training are available:

• courses accredited by the Periodicals Training Council, the training section of the Periodical Publishing Association (PPA). Details of these are on the 'Careers and Training' section of the PPA website. See the Further Information section of this profile for contact details
• fast track courses which are available at a few institutions
• training schemes run by magazine publishing groups or specific magazines.

For degree courses you will usually need five GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) and two A levels/three H grades or equivalent qualifications.

For one year/postgraduate courses you will usually need a first degree, although if you have A levels or the equivalent and can show that you have commitment and relevant experience or specialist knowledge you may be considered without a degree.

You should check specific entry requirements with colleges and universities.

You may be able to find work as a magazine journalists on a specialist magazine if you are a specialist in the field covered by the magazine. In this case, although a qualification in journalism may give you an advantage, it is not usually essential.

For all types of journalism it is a definite advantage if you have relevant experience. This could include getting involved in student and community newspapers, or on local and student radio stations. It may be an entry requirement for some courses that you have at least a few weeks' work experience. It may also be possible to add to your portfolio by submitting stories or ideas to relevant publications.

You can find advice and information on starting or developing a career in journalism on the websites of the organisations listed in the Further Information section.

Training

On the direct entry route you will usually enter into a two-year training contract and will probably study a distance learning foundation course followed by the NCTJ's preliminary examination. You will then have the opportunity to obtain the NCTJ National Certificate and NVQ/SVQ Level 4 in Newspaper Writing.

If you have attended a pre-entry journalism course before recruitment you will probably enter an 18-month training contract, the first three months of which may be probationary.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ), NCTJ, PTC and the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC) all offer a range of short courses for journalists wanting to develop and add to their skills.

Opportunities

Competition for jobs is fierce in all areas of journalism, particularly on national newspapers and popular consumer magazines.

Newspaper journalists are likely to start their careers with local newspapers. After gaining experience in this way it may be possible to become a sub editor or features writer, or to progress to a regional daily. There are relatively few openings on national newspapers, but approximately 30 per cent of journalists are freelance, and this type of work may improve your chances of finding a permanent job.

Local newspaper journalists may also move to magazines after gaining a few years' experience.

The magazine industry is mainly based in London and the South-east. Freelance work is common in this sector, and many journalists contribute work to a number of magazines.

With experience you may specialise in an area such as sport or fashion, and within larger newspapers and magazines there may be openings for senior positions such as sub-editor or news editor.

Some journalists work for news agencies, selling stories to all areas of the media. Those who speak a foreign language could become overseas correspondents.

After initial training and work on newspapers or magazines, some journalists move on to radio or television.

Annual Income

These figures are intended as a guideline only.

Trainees earn up to £12,000 a year on local newspapers and up to £14,000 a year on magazines.
Experienced journalists can earn from £15,000 a year to over £40,000.
The highest paid journalists and national newspaper editors can earn £100,000 or more.

Freelance journalists negotiate a set fee for each piece of work they do. The NUJ can advise members about this.

Further information

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