Reporter Job Description: Duties, Skills & Tips

To help recruiters attract top-tier candidates for reporter positions, it's essential to outline key responsibilities and the desired skill set clearly. Whether you’re hiring for print, broadcast, or digital media, certain elements are universally important in a reporter's role. By focusing on these core components, you’ll streamline the recruitment process and ensure you find a candidate who not only meets but exceeds the standards of today’s journalism landscape. In this guide, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive reporter job description template to aid your recruitment efforts.

What Is a Reporter?

A reporter is a professional journalist who investigates, gathers, and presents information on news stories to the public through various media outlets such as newspapers, television, radio, or online platforms. Their responsibilities include researching topics, conducting interviews, and verifying facts to ensure the accuracy and credibility of their reports. Reporters play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and holding those in power accountable by shedding light on important issues and events. They must maintain ethical standards by remaining objective and fair, striving to inform audiences with balanced and well-rounded coverage. Additionally, reporters often work under tight deadlines and adapt to evolving technologies to effectively communicate news in a rapidly changing media landscape.

Where to Find a Reporter?

• Job boards that specialize in media and journalism.
• Professional journalism associations and networks (e.g., local press clubs or national journalist unions).
• University journalism departments and alumni networks (especially recent graduates with portfolios).
• Social media and LinkedIn: Look for active reporters sharing clips, bylines, or building personal brands.
• Freelance platforms: Many reporters begin or supplement their careers with freelance work; you may identify emerging talent.
• Internal referral programs: Existing editorial staff may know strong colleagues in the industry.

Reporter Job Description Template for Recruiters

As a reporter, you will research, investigate, write, and publish accurate, timely, and engaging news stories across [print/digital/broadcast] formats. You will cultivate sources, interview stakeholders, and deliver in-depth coverage that informs our audience and upholds journalistic standards.

Reporter Key Responsibilities:

• Stay abreast of local, national, or subject-specific developments and identify story opportunities.
• Develop and maintain a network of contacts and sources.
• Research, verify facts, and present balanced news coverage.
• Write, edit, and publish articles (or scripts) within deadlines.
• Use multimedia tools (audio, video, and social media) as needed.
• Collaborate with editors, photographers, and digital teams to maximize reach.
• Uphold ethical, legal, and editorial standards.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or above in either journalism or communication, or a similar field
• Minimum of 3 years of previous experience in a similar role or a demonstrated portfolio of published work.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office platforms
• Familiarity with digital publishing, social media, and multimedia storytelling.

Reporter Required Skills:

• Strong writing, interviewing, and investigative skills.
• Comfortable working under tight deadlines and shifting priorities.
• Ability to communicate with the public effectively
• Excellent communication, curiosity, and drive to uncover important stories.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize own workload

Challenges in Hiring a Reporter

• Because of shrinking roles, you may face a smaller pool of experienced reporters; focusing on digital/multimedia skills becomes even more important.
• Compensation expectations may vary widely depending on region, specialization, and outlet type; using the median benchmarks above helps guide realistic salary offers.
• Budget constraints mean that even if you find a good talent, cost may block hiring; you’ll need to build a business case for the role (e.g., impact of strong reporting on brand/traffic).
• Emphasizing unique selling points (e.g., flexible work, strong editorial support, and career growth) will help attract top candidates.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire?

• Salary: The median salary in the U.S. is ~$60,280 (for news analysts/reporters) in 2024. For more junior reporters, the average is ~$46,667.
• Recruiting cost (cost per hire): According to recruiting benchmarks, the average cost per hire across roles in the U.S. hovers around US$4,700–US$4,900.
• Recruitment cost (job ads, agency/boards, interviews) is ~US$5k (or more if specialized).
• Onboarding/training cost (not always quantified, but perhaps several thousand more)

Conclusion

Hiring the right reporter is critical for your newsroom’s performance, credibility, and growth. By using a clear reporter job description template, you ensure candidates know what you expect. Knowing where to find reporters, understanding the hiring challenges in 2025, and budgeting realistically for the cost to hire enables recruiters to plan effectively. With careful sourcing, an attractive offering, and efficient recruitment practices, you can secure strong reporting talent and build a newsroom capable of delivering compelling journalism.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What should I include in a reporter's job description?

A: Ensure your reporter job description outlines the role summary, key responsibilities (e.g., sourcing, writing, multimedia), required skills (investigative, deadline-oriented), qualifications, and how to apply.

Q: How can I find experienced reporter candidates?

A: Use journalism job boards, professional associations, LinkedIn, alumni networks, and freelance portfolios. Specify that you’re looking for reporters with published clips in your job description.

Q: Should my reporter's job description mention digital/multimedia skills?

A: Yes. Modern reporting often requires writing across platforms, social media, video/audio editing, and audience engagement; your job description should reflect that.

Q: How can I reduce recruitment costs while hiring a quality reporter?

A: Use targeted job adverts, employee referrals, optimize your employer brand, and streamline screening/interviewing. Tracking your cost-per-hire metric helps identify inefficiencies.

Q: How do I evaluate a candidate using the reporter job description?

A: Check their portfolio/clips, ask for examples of investigations or live coverage, test writing skills, ask about sourcing and multimedia experience, and evaluate their fit with your newsroom culture and standards.