Whats it like to be a journalist?
• First, remember that no one starts at the top of any profession. Generally, reporters at mainstream publications start as general assignment reporters, before they develop the experience to specialize. • There is a lot of “phone work” in journalism. It’s not demeaning work—it’s the way a newsroom gets information. Being able to “work the phone” is one of the most important skills of a good journalist. The only way to learn how to do it is to do it a lot. (It really is an art.) • Reporters don’t always get to choose the stories they cover. Often an editor assigns the stories. The newspaper, broadcast or magazine must be filled by the deadline. There may be assignments that don’t seem that interesting at first, but reporters still need to dig and find the most interesting angle.
