◆ Journalism

What a news correspondent
really does.

20 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.

20evidenced tasks
4,290in the US (2025)
$46,800median pay / year
4systems it runs on
See the 20 tasks ↓Open in the atlasThe full career map →
This is what one task looks like here
Maintain files and control records
Update the newsroom’s file register with the three new reporter folder…2 sources agree

The shape of the day

tap a movement to see its tasks

Which one is you, right now?

Pick the moment · no score, no sign-up
Which moment is you right now?
Whichever you pick, the task behind it opens below.

The work, task by task

20 tasks
Hands on the work19
Maintain files and control records+
Update the newsroom’s file register with the three new reporter folders, archive last month’s beat clips to the records storage, and verify access permissions so editorial, legal, and archive staff can retrieve files by Friday noon.
jdonet2 agree
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Read incoming correspondence+
Read and triage the inbox of incoming correspondence, flag interview requests and press releases for editorial review, file routine vendor notes into the records list, and summarise urgent items for the desk by 10:00 this morning.
jdonet2 agree
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Sort and route correspondence items+
Sort today’s mail and emailed submissions into categories — breaking news, features, legal, and admin — route each to the named editor or producer with a one-line reason, and log routed items in the correspondence register before 4pm.
jdonet2 agree
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Compose letters or electronic correspondence+
Draft replies to the five interview requests and one FOI clarification: use the newsroom’s tone, include proposed dates, copy legal on the FOI response, save sent letters to the correspondence archive, and send all by end of day.
jdonet2 agree
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Compile data from records to prepare periodic reports.+
Compile the monthly metrics from court records, interview logs and field notes into a single spreadsheet that updates when new entries arrive, highlight anomalies, and draft the 6‑page periodic report due next Tuesday for the city desk.
onet
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Ensure that money collected is properly recorded and secured.+
Count and reconcile cash and cheque receipts from the fundraiser, enter the totals and source breakdown into the cash log, photograph the sealed deposit bag, notify finance and arrange bank pickup before Friday close.
onet
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Process orders for goods requested in correspondence.+
Process the purchase requests from incoming correspondence: verify vendor quotes, fill out the office order form, obtain the editor’s approval, and forward the completed order packet to purchasing for fulfillment by Wednesday.
onet
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Present clear and concise explanations of governing rules and regulations.+
Write a two‑page plain‑language memo that explains the newsroom’s applicable ethics rules, examples of conflicts of interest, and the steps reporters must take when a potential breach arises, circulate to all staff by Monday.
onet
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed. Helpful?
Grow the practice1

What the work runs on

named inside the evidenced tasks
9 tasksMicrosoft SharePointstores and controls shared document libraries, permissions, and archival metadata for newsroom files
9 tasksMicrosoft Outlookreceives and organises incoming messages, flags and categorises items for follow-up and summary
9 tasksMicrosoft Wordproduces polished letter and email drafts using the newsroom style and stores final copies before sendingOpen its task library → 7 tasksMicrosoft Excelmaintain the file register spreadsheet that tracks folder locations and retention datesOpen its task library →
Browse every evidenced software task →

The same task, four heights

this page is height one
ExecuteDo today's task, with fewer mistakesyou are here → ImproveMake it easy for the next person to acceptin the atlas → DecideWork out the right move when it is unclearin the atlas → BecomeLearn the pattern so it stops coming backin the atlas →

Can AI actually do this job?

the honest answer

It can

where it genuinely helps
  • Name the thing
  • Tell you what it is called

It cannot

where it stops, completely
  • Everything else — there is nothing here to ask twice
XS · R2 of R7This job sits on answering · asking · calling · chatting · collecting · emailing · filing · gossiping · greeting · questioning · searching — real theory, real diagnosis, but reality still holds the grading pen.

What the work pays

two countries, two different measures

United States

this exact occupation · BLS 2025
  • $46,800 a year — the middle: half earn more, half earn less
  • The lowest tenth earn near $33,300; the top tenth near $64,510
  • 4,290 people employed in this occupation

India

the occupation GROUP, not this job · PLFS via ILOSTAT 2025
  • ₹24,252 a month — the median for Clerical support workers, the group this work sits in
  • India publishes pay by broad occupation group, so this covers many jobs besides this one. It is a shape, not a salary.
read this carefullyThese two numbers are not comparable and must not be converted into each other. One is a yearly figure for this job alone; the other is a monthly figure for a whole family of jobs. What travels between them is the pattern, not the amount: experience lifts pay almost everywhere.

Where the evidence lives

open any of it yourself
O*NETThe US Department of Labor's own record of this job9 of these tasks ESCOThe European skills and occupations register6 of these tasks Job descriptionsReal postings, in the wild9 of these tasks US Bureau of Labor StatisticsPay and employment, by occupation2025 figures UK NOS SCDSW7Prepare professional reports and records relating to peoplenational standard UK NOS SFHBE6Preparing reports and returnsnational standard

Close to this work

12 nearby
JournalismCopy Editor28 evidenced tasks JournalismFact Checker27 evidenced tasks JournalismBroadcast Producer27 evidenced tasks JournalismSocial Media Editor25 evidenced tasks JournalismFeature Writer22 evidenced tasks JournalismNewsletter Writer22 evidenced tasks JournalismEditorial Writer22 evidenced tasks JournalismNews Editor22 evidenced tasks

Questions people actually ask

You’ll spend much of the day reading incoming mail and email, sorting items, and routing them to reporters, editors, or legal. That includes checking policies and past correspondence before you send anything out.

You’ll also update and maintain files in Microsoft SharePoint, draft replies in Microsoft Word or Outlook, and compile data in Excel for periodic reports or billing inquiries.

Expect daily use of Microsoft Outlook for email, Microsoft Word for drafting letters, and Microsoft Excel for tracking data and reports. SharePoint will store and organise files and correspondence records.

You’ll also use Outlook rules and SharePoint folders to sort mail and disseminate messages to people, so learn basic folder management and Excel tables for reporting.

Use AI to draft or summarise emails, but always check facts, quotes, and legal rules against original sources or past correspondence records in SharePoint. Never paste confidential customer details into public AI tools.

Treat AI drafts as first drafts: copy them into Word or Outlook, verify policies and customer history from your records, and edit to match your organisation’s tone and templates.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports 4,290 employed in this occupation category. Median pay is $46,800 per year; the lowest tenth is $33,300 and the top tenth is $64,510.

Use these BLS numbers as a national snapshot; local newsroom budgets and your exact duties (reporting vs. administrative correspondence) will affect offers.

Practice writing clear, concise letters and emails in Microsoft Word and Outlook; follow templates but learn to adapt them. Build simple Excel spreadsheets to track accounts and compile data for reports.

Get comfortable with SharePoint: learn to create folders, set permissions, and keep version history so records are organised and easy to retrieve.

A correspondent focused on correspondence manages incoming and outgoing mail, records, and routine customer or source interactions; you work on reporting support and public queries. A press secretary writes policy statements and manages public messaging for one organisation or person.

Correspondents use newsroom systems like SharePoint and Excel for records and reporting. Press secretaries often use media lists and campaign tools and focus more on strategic messaging than filing and billing inquiries.

Organisational skill with digital files: being able to sort mail, maintain correspondence records in SharePoint, and pull past contacts or policy documents quickly will save time for the whole newsroom.

Combine that with clear writing in Word/Outlook and basic Excel for compiling periodic reports — you’ll be the person others ask when a file or past email is needed.

km/h RPM

How far can AI take you?

one question
Be honest — how far can a language model take you on filing?
There is a real answer, and it is not the flattering one.