How to become a newspaper and periodical broadcast journalist or reporter
Official title: Newspaper and periodical broadcast journalists and reporters
Also called: Reporter, Journalist, Court reporter, Data journalist, Radio journalist, Online journalist, Digital journalist, Broadcast journalist, Multimedia journalist, Newspaper correspondent, Journalist-photographer, Journalist and broadcaster
Newspaper and periodical broadcast journalists and reporters investigate and write up stories and features for broadcasting and for newspapers, magazines, news website and other periodicals.
Main tasks
- Determines subject matter and undertakes research by interviewing, attending public events, seeking out records, reviewing written work, attending film and stage performances etc
- Responds to stories as they break
- Writes articles and features and submits draft manuscripts to newspaper, magazine, new website, periodical or programme editor
- Engage with the public and disseminate news stories, lifestyle and opinion pieces through social media
- Builds contacts in their field to ensure a supply of news
- Sub-edits other journalists' stories
How to become one
Entrants usually possess a degree or equivalent qualification. A variety of postgraduate diplomas is available. Vocational qualifications covering various aspects of journalism are available at levels 3 and 4.
Ways in
- University: Communications & Media degrees, Offered by 24 universities in the UK
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £44,534 a year The middle half earn £33,381 to null.
- About 56,000 people work in this job now, and about 62,800 are projected by 2035. (+12.2%)
Related jobs
- Newspaper, periodical and broadcast editors
- Public relations professionals
- Advertising accounts managers and creative directors
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Questions people ask
How do I become a newspaper and periodical broadcast journalist or reporter?
Entrants usually possess a degree or equivalent qualification. A variety of postgraduate diplomas is available. Vocational qualifications covering various aspects of journalism are available at levels 3 and 4.
How much does a newspaper and periodical broadcast journalist or reporter earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £44,534 a year (Office for National Statistics).
Is a newspaper and periodical broadcast journalist or reporter a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 12% by 2035, from about 56,000 to about 62,800 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a newspaper and periodical broadcast journalist or reporter?
Usually. 90% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.