Blog Updated on November 5, 2025.

The journalism profession offers many opportunities for innovation in a rapidly changing media landscape. Long gone are the days of captive audiences receiving all their news from network television and local newspapers. News consumers have flocked to social media, cable news channels, podcasts, and digital publications to learn about the world.

Aspiring journalists may wonder what education and experience can help them get into journalism and achieve success in this dynamic field. Reporters, hosts, and media personalities build audiences with compelling content and a high regard for journalistic integrity. The steps below are essential for anyone interested in how to become a journalist.

 

Developing a Diverse Portfolio

A portfolio of professional work is an important starting point. Media companies review portfolios to determine how well applicants can serve their target audiences. Freelance work and independent projects are great starting points for those who want to become journalists.

Pitching to Publications

Journalists pitch stories and projects to publications as they start their careers. The pitching process can be daunting for newcomers because it relies on finding the right contact at the right publication with a timely story. Journalists can take these steps to make their pitches more successful:

• Research the publication and its editor
• Learn about the publication’s submission guidelines
• Be specific and concise
• Explain the idea’s relevance
• Demonstrate why you’re the best person to write the piece

Long-form reporting, front-page pieces, and profiles of notable people are good additions to any portfolio. Journalists should also consider pitching to niche magazines and online outlets based on their areas of interest. Well-rounded portfolios demonstrate the versatility of journalists to editors and publishers.

Creating Independent Content

Journalists who want to show their journalistic skills can pursue their own projects while pitching to outlets. In 2008, Nate Silver began FiveThirtyEight, a political analysis blog, while working for Baseball Prospectus. A small but devoted audience interested in his projections for that year’s presidential election brought national recognition to the site. He’s since left FiveThirtyEight to start his own newsletter, Silver Bulletin. 

An independent venture may not garner much attention, but it can show a journalist’s passion for good reporting. Podcasts, YouTube news reports, and newsletters demonstrate journalists’ voices as well as their skills. These projects also build audiences that may be attractive to potential employers.

 

Building Relationships with Journalists

Professional success in journalism relies as much on good relationships as on breaking news. Newcomers to the field should be proactive in collaborating with experienced colleagues. These relationships need not be considered formal mentorships.

Indeed, networking can be a critical part of developing a career in journalism, whether an individual is working on a pitch, writing a story, or seeking work with a new outlet. The writers and editors that journalists encounter may already have connections who can act as informal mentors. Professors, fellow writers at their college newspapers, and even nonjournalists familiar with particular subjects can also help shape a journalist’s career. 

Social media can also be a relationship-building tool for those looking to become journalists. According to Muck Rack’s report The State of Journalism 2025, 97 percent of journalists use some form of social media for their work, with Facebook cited as the most valuable platform (27 percent), followed by X/Twitter (21 percent) and LinkedIn (18 percent). 

 

Anticipating Industry Changes With Digital Skills

Journalists are tasked with researching and reporting the five W’s — who, what, when, where, and why — of their story subjects. The methods for achieving this goal have significantly changed thanks to the internet. Prospective reporters should build foundational digital skills through education and experience.

Key digital-related skills include:

• Video and photo editing
• SEO
• Graphic design
• Web design
• Social media competency
• Fundamental camera skills

The digital landscape also poses several unique challenges for journalists. According to Cision’s 2025 State of the Media Report, surveyed journalists reported the following as the biggest hurdles:

• Adapting to how the public consumes media (42 percent)
• Maintaining credibility amid potential accusations of misinformation (40 percent)
• Declining revenues from advertising and circulation (33 percent)
• Potential intrusion of AI (30 percent)
• Lack of resources and staffing (29 percent)
• Competitions from social media content creators and influencers (28 percent) 

However, the digital skills needed to succeed in the modern era don’t displace the skills journalists have always needed — clear communication, interpersonal and organizational skills, and personal characteristics such as empathy remain essential for today’s journalists.

 

Choose Your Journalist Career Path

After deciding to become a journalist, it’s important to consider what a journalist’s career path might look like. As new avenues of journalism open up and evolve, there are plenty of options to consider.

News Analyst, Reporter, and Journalist

News analysts, reporters, and journalists are often the first roles that come to mind when people think about jobs in the field. Many of these professionals create written content for newspapers, magazines, and websites. Others find employment in television or radio, reporting through video and audio formats.

Exactly what is a typical day in the life of a news analyst, reporter, or journalist? Here are some of the tasks they perform:

• Researching topics assigned to them by an editor or a news director
• Building relationships with experts and contacts who can serve as sources and provide tips
• Interviewing subject matter experts and other relevant individuals 
• Pitching and writing stories, scripts, and articles

The online Master of Arts (MA) in Digital or Sports Journalism at St. Bonaventure University Online prepares students to succeed in these tasks and more through courses such as Social Media Storytelling. By combining the well-honed skills of traditional journalism with expertise in online media and reporting, the degree program equips you with the skills required for a sustainable career as a journalist, news analyst, or reporter. 

Podcast Host

Podcasts have become a popular form of media. 62 percent of Americans say they’ve listened to a podcast and 79 percent say they’re familiar with the medium. Podcasting is expected to be an increasingly viable and economically strong market, with a projected compound annual growth rate of 19.8 percent in the United States between 2025 and 2030, according to Grand View Research.

Podcast hosts may be employed by a magazine, newspaper, television station, or media company. Others go out on their own, building up an audience as independent podcasters. Here are just a few examples of podcasting in journalism:

• The New York Times hosts a range of podcasts covering everything from daily news and cultural issues to pop culture and book reviews.
• ESPN produces several sports podcasts, covering an eclectic range of professional and collegiate sports and sports leagues.
• Major broadcasting networks such as ABC, CBS, and NBC offer large libraries of podcasts featuring news, analysis, interviews, storytelling, and more.
• Public radio stations such as NPR and WNYC regularly produce a range of podcasts across the spectrum of journalism, from investigative reporting to deep dives into niche topics.

A podcaster may spend the day:

• Conducting interviews with guests
• Writing scripts for podcast segments or entire shows
• Researching topics and speaking to sources for upcoming podcast episodes
• Interacting with listeners through social media, email, or special events

Courses such as Digital Journalism Today and Digital Reporting, both part of SBU’s MA in Digital or Sports Journalism, teach aspiring professional podcast hosts the critical skills needed to contextualize their shows within a constantly changing media landscape. You’ll learn reporting skills specifically designed for the digital age that correlate directly to podcasting, such as best practices for interviewing and sharing content with digital audiences.

Investigative Reporter

Investigative reporters may work for various news outlets, including newspapers, magazines, websites, television networks, and radio stations. They conduct extensive research, reporting, and analysis to present untold stories regarding news and current events to the public. Investigative reporters often cover serious issues such as crime, corruption, and cover-ups. 

For example, Charlie Specht, SBU class of 2010, is the investigative reporter for 2 On Your Side (WGRZ-TV) in Buffalo, New York. During his career, Specht has won awards for his investigative reporting that has covered, among other topics:

• Gambling, corruption, and pollution in Niagara Falls, New York.
• Bid rigging of contracts and mishandling of sexual assault by college administrators at Niagara County Community College (now SUNY Niagara)
• An unlicensed physician who was advertising medical procedures under a fake name after his release from prison

The daily tasks of an investigative reporter may include:

• Conducting interviews and research 
• Speaking with professionals and experts in the developing story
• Collaborating with fellow journalists and editors
• Working with fact-checkers to make sure stories are accurate

Producer

Producers work in broadcast journalism settings such as television and radio to shape and present stories and segments. They’re often responsible for piecing together a cohesive newscast from the various segments and stories reported on that day. Producers work with everyone from reporters to the studio crew to visual designers to create a high-quality broadcast. 

Kerry Byrnes, SBU class of 1993, was an NBC news producer for The Today Show from 2000 to 2020. Byrnes recalls several career highlights of telling diverse stories, including:

• Ten Olympic Games
• Three days in an RV through Nebraska with Bono, the lead singer of U2, while Bono educated high school students about the AIDS epidemic in Africa
• Presidential conventions, concerts, and celebrity interviews

The daily tasks of a news producer may include:

• Overseeing a live television news broadcast
• Writing scripts for news anchors
• Arranging (and rearranging) news stories to produce a complete broadcast
• Managing schedules and budgets
• Leading the control room crew in producing a broadcast

 

Kick Off Your Journalism Career With St. Bonaventure University

SBU offers online MA programs in Digital Journalism and Sports Journalism that cover all the steps involved in becoming a journalist. In as little as 18 months, journalism students can learn the advanced skills needed to succeed in this rewarding profession. 

Do you want to spend your career discovering and sharing meaningful stories? The online MA in Digital Journalism at SBU was made just for people like you. Maybe the sidelines or the field house fascinates you — if so, consider our online MA in Sports Journalism. 

Each affordable program is 100% online. Join a strong alumni family of working reporters and storytellers with a master’s degree in digital journalism or sports journalism.