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Career · Media, Content and Communication

Journalist

Also called: Reporter

Finds, checks and reports news for print, TV, radio and digital media.

Journalist: dream career or just a good idea?Find out now

DemandCompetitive

Starting pay₹2.5-5 LPA

Time to first job0 to 6 months after a degree

Who can enterAny degree; journalism and mass communication help

Compass career assessment

Picture yourself as a Journalist five years from now. Happy?

People grow fastest in work that suits who they are. Compass shows where your strengths, interests and values point.

Instant report
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A fit score on every career here

I am in:Class 8-10 Class 11-12 College or fresher Working or switching

Pick your stage. Each Compass edition is made for it.

What the work is

Journalists investigate and report what is happening: politics, business, sport, science, crime, culture. Reporters gather facts and interviews; editors check and shape stories; anchors and producers run TV and video news. Digital and video journalism are growing fastest.

Most journalists hold a degree in journalism or mass communication, but strong writing and a portfolio of published work matter most.

A typical week

Find and verify stories
Interview people
Write, edit or present reports
Work to tight deadlines

It suits people who

Are curious and persistent
Write and speak clearly
Care about truth and fairness

Your path to get there

School (Class 8-10)Class 11-12College or fresherWorking or switching

School (Class 8-10)

Write for school magazines; read news daily

Class 11-12

BA Journalism and Mass Communication, English or Political Science

College or fresher

Intern in newsrooms; publish your work
Consider a PG diploma (IIMC entrance)

Working or switching

Subject experts become specialist journalists (business, health, tech)

Returning after a break?

Start with a skills refresh of 6 to 12 weeks: one short course and one TalentMeter assessment to show where you stand today.
Use returnship and second-career programmes; many large employers in India run them for people back after a break.
Explain the gap in one honest line on your CV and LinkedIn, and list what you did in it (caregiving, freelancing, courses, volunteering).
Contract, part-time and freelance roles are a common way back in; they turn into full-time offers often.

Exams and certifications

Name	What it is for	When
IIMC Entrance ↗	PG diploma in journalism	Once a year
CUET-UG and CUET-PG ↗	Journalism degrees	Once a year

Exam names, eligibility and dates change. Always check the official website for this year's notice.

Job market

Job titles to search

ReporterSub-editorCorrespondentNews producerDigital journalist

Who hires

NewspapersTV news channelsDigital news sitesMagazinesWire agencies

Where the jobs are

Delhi NCRMumbaiBengaluruKolkataChennaiState capitals

See openings on Naukri ↗See openings on LinkedIn Jobs ↗See openings on Indeed ↗

These buttons open a live search for "Reporter" on each job site. TalentMeter does not list or vouch for the jobs there.

Know which careers fit you

Create a free account, take the Compass career assessment for your stage, and every cluster and career here will show how well it fits you.