Virtual Career Fair: Newspaper Reporter

First Name and Position : Alfonso, reporter for Newsday.

Degree : Bachelor’s degree in studio art from Queens College, master’s degree from the Columbia School of Journalism.

 

What made you decide on your profession: I’ve always enjoyed writing and broadcasting, and began taking  journalism classes in college because I was considering working in radio. I excelled in the journalism program and upon my graduation, I was offered a summer internship at Newsday. I quickly realized that working as a newspaper reporter could be a very exciting and fulfilling job (if not a lucrative one.) It allowed me to meet a lot of interesting people, experience a lot of exciting things, and express myself creatively.

How did you get your job: I worked hard during that summer internship with the hope that I would land a two-year internship, which paid better and was usually a path to a fulltime job. I didn’t get the two-year internship at first, but did have my internship extended for a few months. I kept working hard and kept being extended. I finally got that two-year internship, and then a fulltime job as a reporter. Last year I was promoted to special writer.

Describe a day (or week) in your job: I cover public transportation, so my editors largely rely on me to find out where the news is, come up with story ideas, report them and write them. I split my time between working in the main newsroom in Melville, where I usually write my stories, and being out “in the field” covering the news. I am constant communication with my sources, on the phone, in person or by email. They share the information I need to put stories together. On any given day, I may be covering breaking news, like a train derailment, or be covering a press conference or meeting. On the average, I probably write about three stories a week, and am usually also working on a larger project. Some days can be pretty hectic—starting early in the morning and lasting well into the evening. And some can be pretty slow. I take my work home a lot, and it’s not unusual for me to be on the phone with or emailing editors or sources late at night or on my days off.

 

Advice for teens interested in doing your job: Get as much writing experience as you can, whether it’s for small publications, likely school newspapers, or even Internet blogs. Editors will want to see examples of your writing. And the more you write, the better you’ll get at it. Also, if you want to become a good writer, it’s important to read good writing. Read newspapers and online news sites to get a feel for how news stories are put together. News writing is very different than other kinds of writing. In some ways it’s easier, but it also has a lot of rules that have to be followed. But, certainly, writing is not the only part of being a newspaper reporter. It’s not even the most important part. You have to be curious, forward, and a good listener. News stories are made by reporters’ questions. So you have to come up with the right questions, find the right people, and get them to answer.