Journalist

A Journalist is someone who writes for newspapers, magazines, websites or other forms of publications. They can work in various industries, from on-the-ground news reporting to blogs about health trends. Journalism entails a lot of research, writing and fact-checking. 

With the onset of the digital age and the importance placed on story-telling, Journalists are in demand in South Africa. People with a knack for writing and the ability to tell a story well are sought after. Freelancing is also a massive industry for writers and freelancers.

Most jobs for Journalism in South Africa require that you have a degree in the field that you will be writing on (for example, a science publication may require you to have a science degree), or a diploma or degree in Journalism, English or any other relevant communications degree.

Some qualifications you can pursue:

• Bachelor of Journalism
• Bachelor of Arts (Journalism)
• Diploma in Journalism

Depending on the industry and field you go into, you could work your typical 8am to 5pm job. Or, if you’re in the news industry, you may be called out at any hour to cover an important story. You would also be required to work as many hours as necessary to meet deadlines.

As is with all freelancing work, you would dictate your own hours.

Journalists, especially at entry level, earn very low salaries. As a Journalist, you first need to prove your ability to perform well – your writing skills, your ability to meet deadlines and your team work ability. As you gain more experience, the higher your salary will become.

As a freelancer, you would need to determine your own rates – either by the hour, day, word or project. You can find the standard rates as determined by the South African Freelancer Association (SAFREA).

According to a BusinessTech article, these are the median salary expectations for 2018:

Intermediate: R21 688 – R26 823

Senior: R26 566 – R35 045

While PayScale states that an entry-level position will earn you a median of R10 195.

In most universities, to become a Journalist you will be required to study a Bachelor of Arts and then do postgraduate studies in Journalism. Because of this, you would need to choose your majors well during your BA degree. Some of the subjects you could choose include:

• Journalism
• Media Studies
• Languages
• Communications
• Digital Studies

Each tertiary institution may have their own set of required modules, be sure to check in with the faculty to ensure that you take the right modules to apply for the Journalism Honours degree programme at the end of your undergrad degree.

BA degrees in general include a lot of research, essays and even some portfolios. These help prepare you for the working world be establishing a certain way of thinking and by educating you on the various issues in the world.