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What does a News Correspondent do?

Sara Schmidt
Sara Schmidt
Sara Schmidt
Sara Schmidt

A news correspondent, also known as a reporter or news analyst, is responsible for gathering and preparing daily news for an audience. News correspondents are usually involved in each step of the news, including delivery. He or she may deliver relevant information to a local, national, or international audience, depending on his or her place of employment.

Depending on his or her specialty, a news correspondent will usually collect, organize, and disseminate news information. This information is typically published in the print media or online; alternatively, it may be broadcast on radio or television. Smaller venues may require a reporter to handle a wider range of tasks than a larger one, including advertising work, taking photographs, editing, and completing office work. Topics a daily news correspondent might cover include current events, public happenings, corporate news, sports, and special interest stories.

A news correspondent is responsible for researching and reporting on important news stories.
A news correspondent is responsible for researching and reporting on important news stories.

Reporters are often tasked with writing about topics of interest. They may have to compose a speech or an article about accidents, events, politics, or celebrity news. Investigative journalists may be required to spend multiple days or weeks working on a single story. Sometimes news correspondents work in teams, which can include editors, researchers, photographers, graphic artists, and other professionals.

A broadcast news correspondent may perform live interviews.
A broadcast news correspondent may perform live interviews.

Some tasks a broadcast news correspondent may be responsible for doing include presenting live transmissions from a scene outside the news studio, airing videotapes of relevant news stories, performing live interviews, or highlighting previously recorded interviews. Editing footage for later presentation may also be a task to perform. Some news correspondents give personal commentary and opinion to accompany national stories.

Most news correspondents carry busy schedules, and are required to spend a large amount of time rushing to meet deadlines.
Most news correspondents carry busy schedules, and are required to spend a large amount of time rushing to meet deadlines.

If a news correspondent specializes in weather, he or she may have a background in meteorology, in order to interpret weather forecasts from government agencies. If a national news correspondent specializes in sports, he or she may be a sportscaster, which involves delivering sports-related news, predictions, and analyses. Other specialized areas can include health, religion, politics, consumer affairs, science, and entertainment.

News correspondents must be prepared to work odd hours, as well as overtime. Traveling, meeting crucial deadlines, working under pressure, and maintaining a professional appearance are also expected. Most news correspondents carry busy schedules, and are required to spend a large amount of time rushing to meet deadlines.

The working environment of a news correspondent will also vary. Some may never work outside an office, while others work mostly on location at sites all over the world. Reporters with technical knowledge may work exclusively indoors with cutting edge technology. Working conditions in some of these locations, particularly those in the field, such as in a war torn area, can be very dangerous.

Sara Schmidt
Sara Schmidt

A graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, Sara has a Master’s Degree in English, which she puts to use writing for PracticalAdultInsights and several magazines, websites, and nonprofit organizations. She has published her own novella, and has other literary projects currently in progress. Sara’s varied interests have also led her to teach children in Spain, tutor college students, run CPR and first aid classes, and organize student retreats.

Learn more...
Sara Schmidt
Sara Schmidt

A graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, Sara has a Master’s Degree in English, which she puts to use writing for PracticalAdultInsights and several magazines, websites, and nonprofit organizations. She has published her own novella, and has other literary projects currently in progress. Sara’s varied interests have also led her to teach children in Spain, tutor college students, run CPR and first aid classes, and organize student retreats.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Sporkasia

I'm glad the article mentions deadlines. Without doubt, the most stressful part of the job for 99.9 percent of news correspondents is meeting the deadline. This is particularly stressful when you have daily deadlines. If you ever walk into a news room about an hour before deadline, you can almost feel the tension in the air.

Laotionne
I always get a kick out of the weather news correspondents when they are outside as a storm is coming a shore. The rain and the wind is attacking them and moving them all over the place. This makes for interesting TV, I guess, but I have always wondered why the news people have to be out in the weather.

Couldn't they make the same report from inside the studio or from a building wherever they are? All we really need on the outside is the camera, so we can see what is happening with the storm. Mostly, this looks silly to me.

mobilian33

Basically all of the local newscasts here where I live are the same. I can turn on any of the four local newscasts and get pretty much the same news. There may be a little variation in the stories at the end of the telecasts, but the major news stories are the same on each station.

What determines whether I watch channel A, B, C, or D is the people. I watch the station with the best studio reporters and the best news correspondents in the field. Anybody can read the news. I want a news correspondent who delivers the news accurately and delivers the news with some personality as well. I don't want a boring newscast.

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    • A news correspondent is responsible for researching and reporting on important news stories.
      By: flywish
      A news correspondent is responsible for researching and reporting on important news stories.
    • A broadcast news correspondent may perform live interviews.
      By: Friday
      A broadcast news correspondent may perform live interviews.
    • Most news correspondents carry busy schedules, and are required to spend a large amount of time rushing to meet deadlines.
      By: redav
      Most news correspondents carry busy schedules, and are required to spend a large amount of time rushing to meet deadlines.