Not all journalists hold a furry mic and speak in front of a camera on a crowded street.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that kind of journalism!
Journalism has evolved over the past couple of decades. Yes, there are still journalists reporting live from an exciting location, but there are also journalists sharing stories on Instagram and TikTok!
If you're the king or queen of the latest headlines, a career in journalism could be the right one for you!
What Do Journalists Do?
Journalists are storytellers.
But every storyteller has a process. Most journalists do some or all of the following:
Researching
Interviewing
Writing
Proofreading/Editing
Reporting
Types Of Journalism
Journalism can be broken down in different ways.
Broadcast Journalism — reporting the news on TV/radio.
Print/Online Journalism — writing articles and stories for newspapers, magazines, and online publications.
Photojournalism — using pictures to tell stories about current events.
Multimedia Journalism — creating interactive news stories using online platforms.
You could also choose to focus on a specific type of journalism like investigative journalism, news reporting, sports coverage, entertainment reporting, opinion journalism, and so on.
The Fun Side
Every job should have some perks, amiright??
Journalism allows you to:
Work on different topics
Learn something new with each story
Meet many people from different places
Gain access to events with a press pass
The Challenging Side
It can’t all be fun and games though!
Being a journalist can also mean:
Irregular work hours
Time away from family
Strict deadlines
Stress associated with a very fast-paced work environment
Exposure to potentially dangerous and harmful circumstances
Is It The Right Job For You?
Being a journalist would be a good fit if you:
possess strong writing skills
have a thirst for information
are a naturally curious person
work well under pressure
enjoy meeting new people and look forward to traveling
Quiz
You'ld like to apply as a volunteer for your school’s newspaper club. Which skill should you highlight first in your application?
Will It Pay the Bills?
The average annual salary for a journalist in the US is $53,939 .
The average annual salary for a journalist in Canada is $54,061 .
Here's How You Get There
Preparation is key!
Strengthen your writing skills by taking courses in English, language arts, humanities, and social studies.
Get a Bachelor's Degree in journalism, communication, or writing
Choose a specialty
Look for volunteer or internship opportunities
Build a portfolio
Make contacts & network
Find Employment
Learn how you can build a portfolio without professional experience.
⚡Pick the Future Journalist
Craig
has a big personality & strong voice
creates content for his own Youtube channel
loves doing presentations & speaking in front of large crowds
Mary
likes to be aware of the latest social media updates & trends
has thousands of followers & uses TikTok to share her opinions on news stories
Eric
loves watching documentaries & reading nonfiction books
writes articles for his own blog & the school newspaper
tutors elementary students to improve their writing skills
Anjalie
is captain of the school volleyball team
travels to participate in sports tournaments
loves chatting with the different people she meets
Quiz
Who do you think would make an excellent journalist?
Take Action
If you're ready to start preparing for a journalistic career:
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