Hello folks! I'm currently trying to write a novel about a humour columnist, and I have a decent plot, and everything. My problem is that I don't know how a real news agency works. I can't just google this because it's not going to give me anything really useful. I have some questions that I would love answered: 1. What is the basic hierarchy in a news agency? Is it very strictly adhered to, or is it more of a guideline? Is it something that depends on the firm, or is it common in all firms? 2. What kind of qualifications do you need to become an editor? What ages are editors, junior-editors, publishers, etc.? What I mean is, what age would be considered too young for these posts? 3. What's the pay like? Thanks!
what do you mean by a 'news agency'?... the above?... or are you referring to a 'syndicator'?... or just a newspaper or newspaper group publisher? ...i'd first need to know what you're really asking about... ...usually a masters degree... or a good amount of prior experience in the field... ...any age too young to have had the requisite education/experience... ...depends on the venue and the type of editor... there are varying levels of 'editor' from the lowly 'assistant copy editor' to the lofty 'editor in chief'... smalltown weeklies might pay next to nothing and major big city dailies could pay very well... ...you might want to ask these questions of someone at a respected school of journalism... but you'll still have to be more specific... you may also find the answers with a bit of creative googling...
I've worked as a journalist, and I can't tell you. At least here in the UK I'm not aware they are very important. Again, no idea about a news agency, but in a newspaper it depends, broadsheets tend to have a very traditional or conservative attitude when it comes to hierarchy, but smaller papers I've noticed have an atmosphere of 'ease' most of the week. On publication day that ease goes to hell; if you can't do your job then everyone lets you know about it. Usually a masters degree in Journalism, people with masters degrees in English are considered, but not as much. You can also get there if you have worked enough in the area, long enough and really proven yourself, but this is really rare. As maia noted, cities can pay quite well, smaller publications can be very little. However, the pay journalists get is often not much compared to other areas of work, and it's decreasing all the time. Be it broadsheets or tabloids, people are just not reading the papers as much as they used to. I have worked for my regional paper, which is a broadsheet. It's kept afloat simply because I live in a somewhat conservative area, and elderly people like to keep it going simply because they liked seeing it in their shops. The pay is, for most journalists, a joke.
