Sometimes the strangest situations turn out to be miracles in disguise. That is what happened to me. Who thought that someone who did not like English that much would pick a career that deals with it every day? I sure did not. It must have been something in the air at Kossuth High School, maybe the teachers, it could have been my friends, or it could just be a young boy maturing in to a man trying to decide his future. Journalism consists of many types of jobs build into one. Some people do not know this but a journalist has to be an editor, a writer, a public relations officer, an xpert in English, a proofreader, and many more jobs.
No, a person who majors in journalism does not have to be perfect in every way. Reference books are at the disposal of journalist and writers at all times. The main reference book is called The Associated Press Writing Manual, and it contains all the writing lay-outs that a writer/journalist needs to know. There are many jobs available to journalist. The top job a journalist can achieve is to be an editor. This means more responsibility, more time put in at the office, and being able to proofread other peoples work.
A news reporter can cover any news event at any time of the day. A news reporting job is a 24-hour job. A free-lance reporter can work for many newspapers, magazines, or just work for one of them. A free-lance reporter covers anything and everything that is happening. As a free-lance reporter, the salary is either on a contract or is based on a price-per-word basis. The most interesting job, in my opinion, is the job of sports reporter. A sports reporter must love the outdoors and the sports that he/she covers to be successful at his/her job.
The hours of a sports reporter are sporadic, and it can range any where from coming to cover someones lunch break to pulling an 18-hour shift just to make the deadline. Daily Corinthian sports writer Steve Beavers said in an interview on March 16, 2001: Journalism is a deadline driven job. If it is not in by the deadline, it does not make it to print. Also, if you plan on a 9-5 job, sports writing is not a job for you. Often, you are out on a story when another story comes in. That is when you need to have more than one reporter handy.
I have seen many time when I am on the phone with a person calling a score in when we are paged to answer another line. I am very thankful I have someone like Lee (H. Lee Smith III, Sports editor for the Daily Corinthian)around. The education requirements for a journalist vary on what field of journalist a person is persueing(Careers in Focus 133). All a person needs to have is a degree in English(Online Journalist). Someone looking to go into the field of journalism needs to prepare themselves to get ready to write like crazy(Smith interview).
The basic salary for someone going into a journalism career is anywhere between $15,000 to $30,000. Reporters can earn more money by working for a paper with a larger circulation. As experience is gained in the job, the money for the salary is also gained. Reporters for nationally recognized magazines and newspapers can earn upwards of $100,000 + per year(Enhanced Occupational Outlook Handbook 344). The average salary for someone in journalism for 5 years is somewhere in the range of $ 30,000 and $ 50,000 per year(Online Journalist).
A reporter must know that when he/she enters this job, they are not in for the money. They have to love their job. A person who is in for the money has chosen the wrong profession(Smith interview). Also, a person who does not enjoy what they do, does not need to be in the business. They only give the good ones bad raps. As the saying goes, it only takes one bad apple to spoil the whole batch. A person who enters journalism is a person who is willing to dedicate their life to something that they love( Beavers interview).
The scenario for the ideal job really depends on the person. Some may want the job to be quiet and uneventful day. Others may want the thrill and abzillerence of the action. My ideal job would just be a regular day. A regular day would consist of covering a ballgame. It does not matter what the sport is. Then, going back to the office to work up a story about the game and wait for other local teams to call in their game scores. Finally, after finishing the story, I would like to, if I had anytime left, work on a special story that is in my own topic and opinion.
As being a journalist myself, I work for the Online Dispatch as a sports eporter and finally moving up to editor over the sports department of the Online Dispatch. I have begun to understand what journalism is all about. I have also covered sports for Kossuth High Schools website, http://www. alcorn. ms. k12. edu/khs. I am also working on my own opinion page and review page on the world wide web to see how others view my opinions because a reporters job is basically carrying a great public image and relationship with the public. Through my research, I have found out there is a lot more than meets the eye to the job of journalism.
Journalist have to be many different things and people all built into one. Few people possess the qualities to be a true journalist. I have learned that with work and patience that all will come in good time. Also, the saying all good things come to the ones who wait applies true to the job of a journalist. With my final thought, I have developed a deep respect and admiration for the journalist/writers and the job that they do. Words of Wisdom to live by if you try your best and put your heart, soul, and love into a job you love you will come out on top.