/r/Journalism

Photograph via //r/Journalism

r/journalism is a community focused on the industry and practice of journalism (from the classroom to the newsroom).

Welcome to /r/Journalism

r/Journalism is a community open to everyone—from interested readers to editors-in-chief at national papers and anyone in-between. The community is driven in its understanding that together we have the ability to sustain and improve the industry, and this progress starts with helping each other better serve our audiences and fine-tune our craft.

Please keep in mind that posts should focus on the industry or practice of journalism (from the classroom to the newsroom).

Frequently Asked Questions

 


Subreddit rules *updated*

  1. Posts must focus on the industry or practice of journalism

  • All posts should focus on the industry or practice of journalism (from the classroom to the newsroom).
  • Please create & comment on posts that contribute to that discussion.
  • No politicking

    • Do not use this community as a platform for your political causes. r/Journalism focuses on the industry and practice of journalism.
    • If you wish to promote a political campaign or cause unrelated to the topic of this subreddit, please look elsewhere.
  • No griefing

    • Do not post baseless accusations of fake news, "Why isn't the media covering this?" or “What’s wrong with the mainstream media?” posts.
    • You are welcome to start a dialogue about making improvements, but there will be no name calling or accusatory language.
    • No gatekeeping "Maybe you shouldn't be a journalist" comments.
    • Posts and comments created just to start an argument, rather than start a dialogue, will be removed.
  • Post supported/credible information

    • Please ensure the information you post is supported and credible. No conspiracy theories.
  • Keep comments on topic

    • Serious, on topic comments only. Derailing a conversation is not allowed. If you want to have a separate discussion, create a separate post for it.
  • Keep self-promotion to a minimum

    • Refrain from self-promotion of your own stories or blogs unless you’re looking for constructive criticism. This includes Substack.
  • Avoid reposting

    • Do not post stories that have already been posted. Duplicate posts will be removed.
  • Do not post plain news stories

    • Do not post plain news stories that have nothing to do with journalism or journalists. News stories belong in /r/news or /r/worldnews.
  • Do not post job listings

  • Be welcoming and helpful

    • No bigotry, racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, hate speech, etc.
  • No free labor

    • Do not post opportunities looking to solicit free labor from journalists. If your opportunity does not pay, it is not welcome here. Exposure and experience do not pay the bills.

    Report posts and comments that break our rules or Reddit’s rules.

     


    Related Links:

    Data Journalism

    Suggested Readings List by Dan Nguyen

    Learn to Code by Lena Groeger

    Journalists & News Nerds

    Dev Data twitter list

     

    Support encryption tools

    Help fund the open source tools keeping journalists and whistleblowers safe. Consider donating through the Freedom of the Press Foundation's donation page.

     

    Related Subreddits
    /r/businessofmedia /r/foia
    /r/journalismjobs /r/media
    r/news r/watchdogjournalism

     

    /r/Journalism Job Board

    /r/Journalism

    79,676 Subscribers

    17

    The paradox facing journalists

    "Some brilliant reporters can’t write. Some brilliant writers can’t report. Some very able reporters report, but don’t break news. Some news-breaking reporters can’t see the bigger picture. Many thinking journalists aren’t interested in reporting." — Alan Rusbridger in Breaking News

    Be a brilliant reporter that get scoops and break news, see around the corners of stories — the bigger picture, and write well.

    6 Comments
    2024/12/02
    20:11 UTC

    0

    Book Review or Interview

    I'm looking for book reviewers. Men Will Be Boys: First Get the Money!, the first installment in Torthell Robinson’s darkly comedic book series exploring the messy pursuit of financial freedom, friendship, and masculinity. Already recognized in multiple screenwriting competitions, this story is a hilarious, thought-provoking journey of three frenemies navigating the pitfalls of ambition in Las Vegas.

    I've sent out numerous requests, but haven't gotten any responses yet. I can provide the book and interviews with the author. Any tips on how to proceed? I've been working with authors for years and never had no responses.

    2 Comments
    2024/12/02
    19:57 UTC

    1

    Looking for interviews

    Hello! I'm a journalism student at Northeastern and I'm doing a project about declining trust in media and how that might relate to political biases in the news. If anyone has any thoughts on this subject and would be willing to have a quick phone interview, please private message me!

    1 Comment
    2024/12/02
    17:05 UTC

    2

    I believe I have a story to share

    I believe I have a story to share but I’m not sure how to get into contact with any investigative journalists. How might I go about doing this?

    16 Comments
    2024/12/02
    17:55 UTC

    1

    Freelance Journalism

    Hello, I am a middle-aged person with parents who had good careers as journalists, including many years has editors. I didn’t want to follow them as a journalist, so I never studied that in college. But I do like to write and I’ve gotten a number of creative nonfiction stories published in literary journals since 2020. This year I started writing on current events in my same creative, nonfiction way. I ended up getting eight of these stories published in nonprofit, left-leaning magazines. They didn’t pay money, and my stories were submitted already completed, but they really like my work.

    So I decided to try to pitch my stories for paying freelance jobs in magazines. I found a lot of advice for pitching online, but I haven’t found a place that tells me what happens when a pitch is accepted. I have a lot of questions about that process and would like links to places that could answer my questions. I’m sure there’s certain terminology used and there’s a normal workflow that ensues. I just don’t know what it is. Literary magazines want finished pieces and prefer to do as little editing as possible. My parents are deceased so I can’t ask them. Advice appreciated and educational links, be it YouTube or blogs, will be well received. Thank you!

    1 Comment
    2024/12/01
    21:20 UTC

    1

    Sports Media

    Hey, I’m looking for some advice

    I am working currently in international media and communications (not sports media) while doing a Masters degrees in Global Business.

    I’m sports crazy and would love to pursue a career in this industry, tying in my experience in media with my passion of sports.

    I’ve done panel discussions, and some pieces to camera in my current role, while also building a portfolio/ clip file by writing articles for a football based online publication, Attacking Football.

    I would love to make a move into the industry of sports, not necessarily journalism, but more so media or correspondence.

    Any advice on this would be appreciated!

    1 Comment
    2024/12/01
    21:57 UTC

    1

    What percentage of pitches are completely irrelevant to your beat?

    What percentage of pitches are completely irrelevant to your beat?

    (I'm a PR who's trying to bang the drum for other PRs to spam journalists less)

    View Poll

    1 Comment
    2024/12/02
    09:27 UTC

    1

    Secure app for converting handwritten notes to text?

    While reporting and researching topics I prefer to take handwritten notes because they help me stay focused and avoid distractions. I’d like to be able to convert those notes to text so I can search through them easily.

    I’ve been thinking about getting a device such as a Remarkable or Kindle Scribe, but they’re expensive.

    There are also apps out there that let me take photos of my notes and convert them to text, but many of these apps are not secure, so I couldn’t use them for sensitive or confidential notes.

    Are there any good, secure apps out there which work for journalists? I’m willing to pay for a subscription as it’s still likely cheaper than buying a Kindle.

    0 Comments
    2024/12/02
    15:03 UTC

    83

    Reminder: Loud voices on social media are not your assignment editor

    #Resistance Twitter is big mad at the major papers for deigning to report that the president of the United States has taken the exact step he’s sworn he will never take. Just a good reminder to folks that if everyone is always happy with what you’re writing, you’re not doing journalism. Don’t let loud, obnoxious social media critics decide what you write about.

    47 Comments
    2024/12/02
    14:08 UTC

    6

    How to become a war correspondent

    So I have completed BA in history and want to pursue journalism for MA and further and hopefully work up to being a war correspondent in future.

    Will my background give some how to say it, advantages.

    What skills I should develop as I have some months before applying.

    How drastic will the difference be in the changed field from my previous one.

    How competitive is the job.

    31 Comments
    2024/12/02
    03:36 UTC

    0

    Which paid News Site is best for War News protests around the world etc?

    I Mean maybe somewhat unbiased and that also really likes to highlight those topics.

    3 Comments
    2024/12/02
    00:07 UTC

    2

    Any journalism resume crafting resources?

    Hello journalism subreddit. I am a college student studying journalism and applying for a school publication job.

    I already have a resume, but it is filled with retail/non-relevant work experience. I'm wondering if it would still be worthwhile to include these part time jobs. I have journalism related experience, but including all of my work experience would take up more than a page.

    I'm wondering if anybody has a sample resume that I could view, or any tips on creating an impactful journalism resume. Any help is greatly appreciated. I have done outside research as well, but I always like turning to Reddit to hear from real people :) Thanks!

    4 Comments
    2024/12/01
    23:25 UTC

    2

    Why do digital publications not have editorial boards?

    TIL The Information doesn't have an editorial board. Their editorials are just letter from the editor.

    Is this unique to TI or a trend across digital publications?

    And besides cost-cutting, why won't digital publications have editorial boards?

    Edit: Thanks for the clarifying responses.

    8 Comments
    2024/12/01
    20:48 UTC

    1

    Thoughts on E Ink Notebooks like the reMarakable, Supernote, and Kindle Scribe?

    Hi all! During interviews, I usually jot down important quotes or observations in a physical notebook while simultaneously recording the audio to transcribe through Rev, but when I get back to my office, it takes me a long time to manually flip through the pages to find what I need.

    I found myself wishing I could see my handwritten notes synced to my computer without trying to find where I said XYZ, so I've been looking into E-Notebooks that have features that convert your writing to text and upload the notes to the cloud, mainly the Supernote A6 X2 Nomad, reMarkable 2, or the Kindle Scribe, and I wanted to know if anyone has found success with making this switch.

    I just want to cut down the time it takes for me to manually check things and have everything ready to reference on my screen, but they are definitely a luxury that I'd have to save for.

    I'm curious to hear thoughts in general, but if you have one:

    • Are they worth the price?
    • Do you find it more practical or easier than constantly tearing through new reporters' notebooks?
    • What features do you like or wish they had?

    Thank you.

    0 Comments
    2024/12/01
    19:53 UTC

    23

    How to get through rough days?

    Struggling today (can’t get anyone to return calls, texts or emails) to turn a story. Coming after a couple strong weeks where stories seemed to come together easily. Just feeling down in the dumps about it. What are some ways to make it through days like today and not feel like a bad journalist?

    8 Comments
    2024/12/01
    16:43 UTC

    1

    And they say journalism is dead!

    0 Comments
    2024/12/01
    15:45 UTC

    2

    Olympus ds 2300 voice recorder

    Hi all, my uncle gave me this. Is there any point in having this in the era of mobile phone voice recording? I assume the quality isn't great...it looks very old

    5 Comments
    2024/12/01
    10:24 UTC

    1

    Journalism documentary about the Eras Tour

    Hi everyone! I’m a student journalist from Vancouver BC and a few weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to do my own documentary on the Eras Tour, with the central focus of how it’s a global phenomenon bringing the world and communities together. This, along with my digital article piece are now complete and I would love for you guys to watch, share, and maybe even tag @taylorswift and @taylornation in the comments section of my Instagram post @thisisthestateofgracechen! Thank you, enjoy. This has been a passion project 🏆💕✨🥳🫶

    1 Comment
    2024/12/01
    00:27 UTC

    2

    Doing a story about teachers

    Hi everyone, I have a story idea that would involve educators. Would it be best to email some teachers if they would be interested or what’s a better approach to this?

    This is my first time doing this and wanted to reach out for advice.

    Thanks!

    6 Comments
    2024/11/30
    22:45 UTC

    8

    3-dot journalism

    Herb Caen pioneered (or is forever linked to) "3-dot journalism" at the SF Chronicle in the mid-20th century.

    Why do you think young people today hate the ellipsis so much?

    18 Comments
    2024/11/30
    22:02 UTC

    6

    Five cents a day is insane cheap

    49 Comments
    2024/11/30
    18:48 UTC

    5

    profile subject wants to read story before it's published to "make sure it represents them well"... how do i get them to stop asking lmfao

    i write a column, profiling students at my university who have interesting passions/hobbies/etc. i interviewed and wrote the story about someone about a month ago, but because of scheduling, the portrait we want to run with the story hasn't been taken yet, so the article hasn't been published.

    i'm in a groupchat with the subject and my friend, the photographer, that we made to schedule the interview and photos. the subject started out innocently enough, asking when the portrait will be taken and when they can expect to see the article published online. we let them know, and all seemed well.

    a few days ago, they started asking about the title of the article, saying A. had already seen the title online and B. were worried about how it represented them. i'm still confused as to how they could've seen it, because the article hasn't been published yet lmfao. they said they googled their name and saw it, which again, can't have happened because the article hasn't been published yet, and their name isn't in the title either way soo 💀. i gave them a title along the lines of what my editor and i came up with, which i think represents them the way they represented themself in our interview and conversations.

    so anyway, all that to say they keep asking to read the article. they've asked at least three or four seperate times at this point. i'm obviously not going to let them read it before it's published, because i feel like that might compromise my ethics as a journalist.

    i already wrote the story close to a month ago and i don't necessarily want to write it again because someone wants an ad. they keep saying they want this article to be a "real stepping stone" for their career, so it seems to me like they want something completely out of this than i can give, as a journalist who wants to remain objective.

    how do i quell a subject's fear that they're being misrepresented? we (photographer + i) have told them over and over that our job is to represent them in a fair way, but they're still worried, texting & emailing us and sending us links to their other work that feel would help paint a better picture. i've seen some people on here say that sending them the quotes they want to use sometimes helps to ease their worry? i'm somewhat new to journalism, so this is the first profile that i've ran into "issues" with the subject, although i'm sure this is kind of normal.

    37 Comments
    2024/11/30
    16:19 UTC

    11

    I’ve developed interest in becoming a political journalist.

    Politics is something that’s always interest me and I’ve been wanting to peruse that in the form of journalism and I’m interested in majoring in that type of field. Does anyone have any recommendations for what type of major to peruse for a career in that? And also what tips would you give for someone who wants to do it? Any advice would be appreciated.

    27 Comments
    2024/11/30
    10:31 UTC

    1

    attaching writing samples for job app?

    hi everyone,

    when you apply for jobs that ask for pdf writing samples, what do you do? i work for a print and online paper and am torn between attaching the pdf version of the pages from the print paper, or the online version of the articles. thanks in advance!

    0 Comments
    2024/11/29
    23:24 UTC

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