Are you an aspiring journalist who is inspired by famous newsmakers for their courage, honesty and determination? Do you have a curiosity about all things and have a desire to always be questioning the world in which you live? Are you fearless when it comes to approaching the unapproachable to ask tough questions in order to uncover the truth?

There are some essential qualities that a professional journalist possesses. If you are aspiring to make a career in journalism and you want to stand out of the crowd, you should have these specific traits and more. Let’s look deeper into the 3 essential qualities every journalist needs to have.

Investigative Skills

A journalist relies on facts and evidence, not on emotions while chasing a story. An ideal journalist should be observant and possess strong analytical skills to assess a situation if there is something more to it. For many Canadians, Eric Malling, who worked as an investigative journalist in Canada from the 1970s to the 1990s, personifies the uncompromising truth-teller.

Whether it was using sound judgment or assessing every detail of an incident, Eric Malling knew how to weigh each and every situation critically, something all aspiring journalists need to do in order to become an expert at their craft.

Persistence and Discipline

Persistence may be the number one key trait required to become a journalist. In reality, you might be chasing a story for weeks to get a lead that will hit the air. During these times, an ideal journalist will not give up a story and must remain disciplined. After all, the ultimate goal is to find the truth and seek justice in all matters.

A multiple-award winner, Christie Blatchford was a tough, fair Canadian journalist who was strongly committed to print journalism. She worked at all of the major Toronto newspapers. Persistence and discipline guided Christie throughout her career; she was best known for her columns on crime and Canada’s justice system.

Ethics

In journalism, there is an unspoken code of ethics all journalists should follow. Sometimes, journalists abandon ethics for money or fame, but a good one knows it is imperative they behave ethically and never follow illegal measures even if it helps in uncovering the secrets behind a story. In fact, fairness, objectivity, and honesty are three factors that need to be built into every story. It is your sole duty to report accurate and reliable information to the public.

From newspapers to magazines and print to on-air, the profession of journalism requires some key personality traits and important skills to succeed. If you are planning to pursue a career in journalism, you should question yourself if you have these essential skills. Those who proceed will do so with professionalism and confidence and will have a goal to change the landscape of news reporting and media with their contributions.

Published: 2020-08-12 16:59:37