About Newspaper Jobs

Despite the decline of the print newspapers, the age of hectic and exciting work for the newspaper is definitely not over. Print newspapers took a very big hit as digital and social media started to develop and take over. Digital media changed the way we consume information, and newspapers have been struggling to adapt in the last decade. However, despite the fact that print newspapers are not expected to make a huge comeback, they’ll still stay around while the traditional newspaper duties have moved into the digital arena. 

What does that mean? Well, newspaper jobs might no longer involve a busy office, regular morning editorial meetings and going out in the field every day. Yes, some of those will happen from time to time, but mostly, working at a newspaper is now all about digital work. This means that remote and freelance work is on the rise, while those employed at news agencies and outlets no longer chase their stories in the field, but more likely —  on social media. 

It’s an exciting new era for newspapers, as digitalization actually brought new opportunities for all of those looking to find jobs in a newspaper. Here’s some essential information you’ll need! 

What Do People With Newspaper Jobs Do?

For people employed in newspaper outlets, it’s all about the information and delivering engaging stories. The attention span in the average reader shortened thanks to massive amounts of digital content. For journalists and other professionals in journalism, this means they have had to sharpen their talents to catch readers’ attention. 

Make sure not to conflate newspaper jobs with journalists, editors and proofreaders only. Newsrooms now have many multimedia experts on staff, all contributing in shaping the final story. Before we dig into types of daily newspaper jobs, let’s cover the basic duties that apply to all the newspaper professionals. 

Duties 

Generally speaking, the main duty when hired at a newspaper is to stay up to date with things in two main ways. First, you have to be up to speed when it comes to relevant world events and know the background history of the majority of current affairs. That includes politics, entertainment, sports, history, science, technology, etc. Of course, if you have experience in journalism jobs (research, writing and editing), it’s expected you have a specific niche of interest which you will pursue when you pitch stories. 

Secondly, it’s pretty much impossible to get hired at the newspaper without staying up to date with recent technology, digital and social media. Even if you’re not strictly employed as a videographer or graphic designer, you’ll still have to be able to cover the basics. Social media platforms are the primary platforms for journalists, and Twitter in particular. Daily publishing and engaging with followers is how you’ll build your own audience and eventually, build the newspaper’s audience. 

Additionally, working at the newspaper will always involve a hierarchy you should be able to respect. Whether it’s the distinction between junior and senior positions, or relationships with the editor, it’s expected you follow the rules and ethics of the newspaper. 

Types of Newspaper Jobs

The process of delivering a story involves a lot of people and different sets of skills. Obviously, writing and editing make the core of the newspaper publishing business, but others aspects can be equally crucial. Here are some types (and subtypes) of newspaper jobs you might be stumbling upon when looking at newspaper job listings

Newspaper Research Jobs  

If you’re more of an introvert with potential in journalism, but you don’t want to immediately expose yourself to pressures of pitching and fighting for your stories, this might be a great starting position and one of the better newspaper entry level jobs

News researchers have to stay on top of current news and be able to dig deep for relevant information. Researchers need to understand the logic behind building up a story from credible sources. Their job involves a lot of reading, database building, source verifying and contacting. Usually, the person they work most closely with is the editor whom they assist with finding new stories and angles. Their “time to shine” is when pitching briefs to editors to consider whether an information or a story is relevant and interesting enough to pursue more seriously. 

On a newspaper jobs list, news researchers are among lower paid positions. Researchers are usually considered to be in the bottom half of the newspaper hierarchy and generally have to work hard to climb up and get better tasks. However, depending on a person’s profile, these tasks can be quite fulfilling professionally. If this sounds appealing to you, start searching for researcher newspaper jobs.

Newspaper Graphic Artist Jobs 

The days of broadsheet newspapers with minimal graphic intervention are long gone. Currently, the media landscape is highly visual, and without eye-catching visualization, not many people will be willing to invest their time and read a large body of text. 

In any news organization, graphic artists can be employed simply to keep an archive of previous graphics used in stories publishing. In newspapers, this makes the process of picking up the right graphic design for the article much easier and faster. Otherwise, graphic artists should have a strong artistic sense, as well as a general sense for what the story wants to communicate with the readers. They might edit existing photos, create original graphics or work on a series of infographics (especially when designing for a website). 

Newspaper Reporting Jobs 

No matter how digital the news industry becomes, respected journalists will tell you that old-fashioned reporting that includes actual field work will never die. And they might be right. Reporting is at the core of journalism and its demands can be pretty high, depending on the size of the organization. 

Often, newspaper reporter jobs include doing the job of writers, as reporters will research the story from their office (or from a remote location) and write the article. This depends on the news organization, their field or area they’re covering and on the duties they’ve been given by their editors. For example, the majority of reporters covering broad political topics will rarely have to cover the field unless they’re working for a big national news outlet. Yet, reporters working on regional and local news or exploring life stories, will spend a lot of their time in the field. 

Newspaper Photography Jobs 

Among other outlets, newspapers are among the most challenging work options for professional photographers. As is the case with other visuals, photographs are key features when trying to engage readers. Newspaper photographer jobs are available for those willing to work as a part of permanent staff in the newspapers and be their in-house photographers. In that case, they’ll be asked to cover the field when needed and follow editorial instructions on what kind of image would be suitable to visually equip the story. In other cases, freelance photographers usually work for several news and magazine outlets, selling their work according to the newspaper needs at the moment. 

Newspapers Editing Jobs 

And finally, the editors. Newspapers usually have several types of editors on staff, ranging from managing editors to editors for each theme section in the paper. Of course, the one above them all is the editor-in-chief, who supervises the entire publishing process. Newspaper editor jobs look for people willing to take on the challenging duty of acting as both the voice of the readers in terms of what they want to read and as the visionaries for the direction in which the newspaper can go. Their main day-to-day tasks are assigning stories and approving pitches from staff reporters and journalists. If you think you fit the bill, start looking for newspaper editor jobs available in your area.

Work Environment

The work environment for newspaper jobs can vary greatly. For most people, the first image they have in mind when they think of newspaper staff is a hectic and dynamic work environment with lots of field work. This is definitely true for major newspapers, but you might end up in a smaller (or local) newspaper with a regular, everyday office environment. 

Injuries and Illnesses

Newspaper employees are not highly prone to injuries and illnesses caused by their work environment. Most often, they’ll have to deal with mental health issues due to high levels of stress and sometimes gloomy events they report on. 

Work Schedules 

Work schedule in a newspaper is hardly a typical 9 to 5. Perhaps only in small local newspapers. Otherwise, get ready to work a hectic schedule or, in case you’re a freelance writer, a schedule that best suits your needs. 

How to Get a Newspaper Job?

First, the bad news: employment in journalism has generally been on the decline in the last ten years and predictions are not very optimistic. However, this is definitely not true for online newspapers and news websites as these continue to develop rapidly. Here are some of the basic criteria you’ll need to fill to get a newspaper job. 

Important qualities 

Before any other quality, writers and reporters in journalism must have a knack for building stories and information in an engaging way; the key is to interest a potential reader and keep them interested until the very end of the article. To do that, you have to have a natural passion for following current world events and have a good sense of why things happen in a certain way. This is at the core of all jobs in the newspaper industry. Make sure to have a specific topic area which is close to your heart and in which you can excel. 

A good reporter will provide all the key information, but a great reporter will do it in such a way that a reader will feel like they just discovered something new. On top of that, being able to work under pressure and deadlines and thinking quickly will certainly help those who aim for long and fruitful newspaper careers

Education 

Not so long ago, landing jobs at a newspaper almost strictly demanded either an incredible talent regardless of a college degree, or a degree in journalism or media communications. However, the educational background of today’s employees in the news industry has changed. According to a research study from the Pew Research Center, 77% of employed journalists have a degree in art and humanities. Among those, only 30% have a college degree strictly in journalism. Other degrees include communications (13%), English language and literature (11%), mass media (7%) and other degrees in related fields (16%). 

In other words, jobs in the news industry, including newspapers, are now more available to people coming from different educational backgrounds, especially if you’re applying for entry level newspaper jobs. This is certainly good news! Let’s check the skills you’ll need to develop. 

Skills

Newspaper jobs require many skills but the majority of them can be learned in time. If you’re looking to become a reporter or a writer, writing is everything. You must have a developed writing style with a specific “writer’s voice” which will help you in engaging a reader and distinguish you from other writers. Impeccable vocabulary and grammar is a must, despite all the proofreading your material will get. 

Your communication skills also have to be at top level, especially if you’re planning to do a lot of field reporting and interviews. When going through the process of newspaper jobs hiring, it’s also advisable to demonstrate your ability in working with different digital media (photo, video, graphic design) even if you’re not necessarily applying for specific multimedia jobs. 

Advancement

Newspapers and news organizations have a pretty good staff hierarchy and typically, there’s always room for advancements. With advancements inside a single news company, writers and reporters usually start as entry-level (junior) employees and will in time advance to senior level positions. In some cases, based on talent and performance, journalists can advance to editorial positions, depending on their area of interest. 

But when it comes to newspaper publishing jobs, perhaps the best opportunities for advancement happen in-between news companies. In other words, your hard work will best pay off if another, more reputable newspaper company snatches you and offers you better pay and job perks. 

Pay

The development of digital media in the news industry left a mark on the newspaper industry. The average pay for newsroom staff has been declining for the past 10 years. Currently, a junior level journalist with a college education in the US will on average make less than an average college-educated employee in other industries. 

According to Pew Research Center analysis from 2018, college educated employees on average earn $50,696 per year. More recently, Payscale averages the newspaper jobs salary at between $26k and $63k, depending on the experience and the size of the news company. 

Job Outlook

In a general sense, the job outlook in journalism is currently not that great. The number of journalism newspaper jobs is projected to decline 11% by 2029. The good news is that the digital part of the news industry will continue to flourish. Also, it’s pretty safe to say that no one really gets into the newspaper industry strictly for profit. There has to be some passion present in the motivation which makes it easier to take on some negative aspects of the job outlook. 

Job Prospects 

The prospects of newspaper journalism jobs are numerous. Hard work, a bit of talent and good sense for networking might get you far. Journalism is certainly not a menial job that you do just to put food on the table. It’s more of a calling than a job. Having said that, people who started with high levels of motivation managed to build a name for themselves, establish an audience and eventually their own publishing businesses. So if you can’t find any newspaper publisher jobs, you can always create your own. Don’t lose your aspirations and your drive! 

FAQ

How do I get a job in a newspaper?

This depends on what kind of job in a newspaper you’d like to do! If you’re aiming to be a journalist, it’s best to start with reviewing your education. Usually, at least an undergraduate degree in journalism (or similar profession) is needed. Don’t be discouraged if your education doesn’t suit the demands for the jobs in a newspaper company; people with degrees in other social sciences or humanities often manage to snatch a job in a newspaper. 

What are the positions in a newspaper?

Each newspaper (and the news website) has a hierarchy of positions, each with different sets of skills and responsibilities. Editor-in-chief leads the way as they oversee the entire process. Other editorial positions include: managing editors, copy editors, news editors, opinion editors, feature editors, etc. Other positions include journalists (both newspaper write jobs and reporter positions), researchers, graphic designers, photographers and videographers. 

How do I become a newspaper journalist?

To get one of the newspaper related jobs, you’ll need an appropriate educational level, most likely an undergraduate degree in journalism or media communications. Depending on the demands and the size of a company, it might be expected that you have a graduate degree as well. Other similar degrees are often accepted, so review your education and start looking at job listings. Make sure to show off your writing and research skills; digital and social media platforms are a great way to do that and to start slowly building your portfolio. Without a piece of published writing and an audience, it’s hard to compete for jobs in the newspaper industry

How much do newspaper journalists get paid?

Unfortunately, an average pay of newspaper journalists has been declining in recent years as the entire industry struggles to adapt to digital platforms as sources of information. However, the average pay can vary greatly, depending on your skills and experience, as well on the size and reputability of the news company you’re working with. To avoid the lowest paying jobs in a newspaper you should know that the average pay for a journalist is $40k, but it can go up to $75k. 

What is the highest position in a newspaper?

The highest position in a newspaper belongs to an editor-in-chief. Their job is to overlook an entire process of delivering news and stories. All of the ideas and articles go through them and they take the final responsibility in deciding who gets to do an article and which articles will finally go off to be published. Start by looking for weekly newspaper editor jobs if this is something you’d be interested in.

What are the 8 parts of a newspaper?

Traditionally, the newspaper has its strict structure in dividing daily content. The newspaper is thus divided to the frontpage, folio, news and feature articles (each starts with a byline), editorials and columns. On top of that, newspapers will typically have topic sections like business, lifestyle or entertainment sections. There are smaller sections as well, such as cartoons or enigmatic sections. 

What’s the full meaning of a newspaper?

This one is good to know just in case you get asked about it when applying for jobs for the newspaper! The word “newspaper”, factually, has its historical meaning denoting literally news on a piece of paper. However, some say that it can also be understood as an acronym for North, East, West, South, Past, And, Present, Events/Everyday, Report. 

What do newspaper designer jobs pay?

Newspaper designers are crucial in the process of news publishing as they put in the final visuals which will engage the readers. Newspaper design jobs largely depend on the volume and complexity of the tasks. Traditional newspaper designers will usually have to stick with well-known scheme editing for the print edition. News designers for digital editions usually have to handle more complex tasks. According to Payscale, newspaper designers on average make $45k per year but can earn up to $65k. 

How to apply for jobs in a newspaper?

The first step is to look at online newspaper jobs! Before applying, make sure you have researched the tasks and demands of the job that will be expected from you. If you haven’t started yet, make sure to publish your writing portfolio online, along with a nice and polished CV. Having nicely edited social media profiles with interesting profiles and engaging followers will certainly help you to stand out. Hopefully, our overview on newspaper jobs available helped you in gaining better insight into the industry! 

How to become a columnist for a newspaper?

Newspaper columnist jobs are not exactly easy to snatch. Traditionally, newspaper columnists are experts in a niche topic or distinguished public personas whose writing voice and style is already publicly recognized. However, if you think you have what it takes, the best step is to develop your own blog or a website and build your audience.