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Why book a journalist through Airtasker?

When you don’t have time to ask for referrals or put up several ads, booking a journalist via Airtasker is a fast and convenient way to hire freelance journalists. As bookings are made on our platform, you don’t have to leave your home (or office) to find some of the best freelance journalists for your local news publication.

All you need is to make a post on Airtasker. Mention all the crucial details like the type of journalist you need, their credentials and level of experience. Expect replies from nearby Taskers that fit your description. They’ll give you a free quote, and you can see their reviews and ratings from their past clients. You can compare rates, ratings and reviews on interested Taskers, then choose the one you think is best.

It can be that easy and straightforward to book a capable journalist to give you the articles your publication needs, but don’t take our word for it - use the pink button now and see for yourself!

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Top Journalist related questions

Most freelance journalists have all the tools and equipment they need. However, it would help if you supplied them with ID cards, invitations to the event they’re covering, and all other necessary permits they need to do their jobs. If you subscribe to a stock photo service, you may want to give them access so they can put photos on their articles if necessary. You’ll also need a computer with a fast internet connection and webcam to coordinate with them and get updates. 

Freelance journalists need enough time to research, write, add photos or other images and edit the story. This can take anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks, and it depends on the depth of their story. Expect their work to take longer if you hired a freelance investigative journalist. Agree on deadlines and check in with your journalist occasionally to have a better idea of how long before they can turn in a finished story. 

Yes. If you run a business that hires freelancers for different publications, you can employ Taskers to boost your staff. You can employ Taskers for other types of writing too. 

Besides having the relevant university degree, it would help if you’re looking for a journalist with specific qualities. Hire a journalist with determination and perseverance to chase a story. They must have strong ethics to avoid plagiarism and remain objective, enthusiasm to keep them going and good interpersonal skills - they may have to interview many people to get facts. Finally, they must have excellent oral and written skills to craft reliable, informative and engaging articles.

A reporter is a subcategory of a journalist. While journalists do all the research, editing, and writing for their stories, reporters only present other journalists’ work to audiences. The data is handled by a research staff, which can also include material from other journalists. One similarity reporters have with journalists is that they also do interviews. However, reporters interview persons relevant to the story firsthand and don’t take notes or recordings, then write them into the story afterwards. 

At the very least, a journalist should have a degree in Journalism or a related field. Some hiring managers may insist only on applicants with a Journalism degree, but others may consider applicants with degrees in related fields. University degrees related to Journalism can include English, Creative Writing or Political Science. It’s possible to succeed in journalism without a degree, but you may have to start small and put in twice the work. 

Suggested reads about Journalist

What do journalist services include?

Journalist services include all the necessary activities to hire a freelance journalist and provide you with engaging news stories, articles or features. Freelance journalists can give you newsworthy pieces for journals, magazines, TV shows, radio shows, online news channels or other media, whether in print or online. 

For any story you hire them to write, they can do the necessary research, then write the article. After completing the first draft, your hired journalist can send it to you via email for your approval. 

Assigning stories

If you have a story in mind, you can assign this to your freelance journalist, and they can proceed to work on the story. Should you not have a specific event you want to be covered but have a topic in mind, you can collaborate and have a brainstorming session with them. They can also come up with suggestions for a news story relevant to your publication, which you can then approve. 

Doing research

Once they have a story to cover, your hired journalist proceeds to do research. They can use various sources, like other press releases, and they can even interview the persons involved in the news story. In case you hire a freelance investigative journalist, they can interview government officials, law enforcement officers or representatives and private individuals. 

Your hired journalist can work to get statements and facts without violating privacy laws or any other relevant laws. Note that some journalists may ask for a transportation allowance or ask for reimbursement of their transportation expenses as they do their research. 

Attending media launches and local events

Some stories require that your journalist attend special events like product launches, press conferences, public holiday celebrations and other events. In hiring a freelance fashion journalist, they can (and often should) attend fashion shows, galas and photoshoots of fashion designers.   

Submitting news drafts

After doing all the research and getting all the necessary information, they proceed to write the article. They can send you the first draft via email for your comments. They can suggest which photos to use with the appropriate captions and which infographics to insert into the article.   

Working with your news staff

When attending events, your journalist may need you to send someone to assist and take photos. Your hired journalist can work with your editors or sub-editors to ensure the piece doesn’t violate any defamation or privacy laws. They can also work with your graphic designer to caption or label any illustrations or infographics you may want to include. 

Finalising the news article for publication

Your hired journalist can proofread the article and do the edits you suggest. They can do as many revisions as necessary until you are both satisfied and the piece is fit to publish. 

Recent Journalist tasks

I need to hire /contract with print journalists and an editor

$250

San Fernando, CA 91340, USA

Jan 15th 2023

I need someone who is experienced in writing for a newspaper and knows the San Fernando Valley - Due date: Flexible