6 templates with FLSA and W-2 vs 1099 guidance. Download as DOCX.
Hiring a journalist looks simple until you hit the two questions every template online ignores: is this person a W-2 employee or a 1099 freelancer, and if they are an employee, are they exempt from overtime? Both matter, because journalism has an unusually high share of freelancers, and reporters are one of the more litigated overtime classifications. A generic template that skips both leaves you exposed.
At FirstHR, we build templates for the small and digital-native outlets making these hires, the local newsrooms, digital startups, and content teams bringing on their first reporter. The six templates below cover the role by type, including a separate contractor agreement for freelancers, each with the FLSA and classification guidance built in. Fill in the brackets and post, and the guide to writing a job description covers the fundamentals.
TL;DR
Six free journalist templates: Staff Reporter (W-2), Multimedia/Digital, Freelance (1099), Photojournalist, Broadcast, and Investigative. Two things competitors skip, both built in: the W-2 vs 1099 decision (journalism has many freelancers) and an FLSA note (routine reporting is often non-exempt). Pay anchor: $60,280 median for news analysts, reporters, and journalists (BLS, May 2024).
What Does a Journalist Do?
A journalist gathers, verifies, writes, and shares news with the public, developing sources, confirming facts, and filing accurate stories on deadline, increasingly across digital and multimedia formats. The role maps to news analysts, reporters, and journalists (SOC 27-3023). Journalist and reporter are often used interchangeably, with journalist the broader term.
For the employer writing the posting, two features stand out: the work varies by medium (print, digital, photo, broadcast), and the workforce includes a large share of freelancers, which makes the employee-versus-contractor decision central. The six templates split by type, including a contractor agreement for freelancers, so the document matches the real arrangement.
Staff (W-2) vs Freelance (1099)
This is the first decision, and it shapes everything else: classification, pay, taxes, and which document you use. The choice is not about the title but about the actual working relationship.
Relationship
Staff (W-2): W-2 employee on payroll
Freelance (1099): 1099 independent contractor
Control
Staff (W-2): You direct the work and schedule
Freelance (1099): They control how and when the work is done
Pay
Staff (W-2): Salary or hourly, with overtime if non-exempt
Freelance (1099): Per article, word, or project
Benefits
Staff (W-2): Eligible per your policy
Freelance (1099): None
Taxes
Staff (W-2): You withhold and remit
Freelance (1099): They handle their own (Form 1099)
Equipment
Staff (W-2): Usually provided
Freelance (1099): Their own
A full-time reporter you direct day to day is a W-2 employee; a freelancer you commission for specific stories on their own terms is a 1099 contractor. Labeling a de facto employee a contractor to save on taxes and benefits is the misclassification that draws penalties. For the broader rules, see the guide to employee vs contractor and how to hire 1099 contractors.
Journalist Duties and Responsibilities
Journalist duties center on reporting and writing, sourcing and verification, standards, and collaboration. The emphasis shifts by role, more records and data for investigative, more equipment for photo, but these areas hold across nearly every journalism job. These are the duties grouped the way the templates use them.
Reporting and writing
Report and write stories on deadline
Pitch and follow story ideas
File across print, web, and social
Sourcing and verification
Develop and maintain sources
Verify facts across multiple sources
Analyze records and data
Standards
Follow AP style and editorial standards
Apply sound news judgment
Meet legal and ethical standards
Collaboration
Work with editors on stories
Coordinate with photo and video
Cover events and breaking news
A strong posting grounds these in your specifics: your outlet, your coverage area, your formats, and your editorial standards. For a structured way to scope any role before posting, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by the kind of journalism and the working relationship. Five are employee job descriptions; the freelance template is a contractor scope of work. Use this guide to choose.
Staff Reporter (W-2)
Local or digital newsroom
The core newsroom hire: beat reporting, writing on deadline, source development, and AP style, as a W-2 employee.
Multimedia / Digital
Digital-native outlet
For a digital newsroom: writing plus video, audio, social, CMS, and SEO, optimized for an online audience.
Freelance (1099)
Contractor scope of work
A 1099 contractor agreement, not an employee JD: per-project scope, rights, kill fee, and payment terms.
Photojournalist
Visual storytelling
For news and editorial photography: shooting in the field, editing and captioning, equipment, and image rights.
Broadcast Journalist
TV, radio, or streaming
For on-camera or on-air news: research, writing, presenting, shooting or recording, and flexible shift work.
Investigative Reporter
In-depth, records-driven
For long-form accountability reporting: records and data, source protection, and stories with legal review.
Match the Template to the Arrangement
Newsroom beat hire: Staff Reporter. Digital outlet: Multimedia. Per-project contributor: Freelance (a 1099 agreement, not a JD). Images: Photojournalist. On air: Broadcast. Long-form accountability: Investigative. Decide W-2 vs 1099 first, then classify any W-2 role under the FLSA.
6 Free Journalist Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. The five employee templates follow the same structure: outlet and role summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, the FLSA note, pay, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. The freelance template is a contractor scope of work with rights and payment terms. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Templates
Staff reporter, multimedia, freelance contractor, photo, broadcast, and investigative. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Staff Reporter (W-2)
The core newsroom hire: beat reporting, writing on deadline, source development, and AP style, as a W-2 employee.
Staff Reporter Job Description (W-2)
STAFF REPORTER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State] / Remote)
Department: Editorial / Newsroom
Reports to: [Editor / Managing Editor]
Employment type: Full-time, W-2 employee
FLSA status: [Confirm by duties and salary; routine reporting is often non-exempt]
Salary range: $_ - $_
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences: your outlet, your coverage area or beat, and
your audience.]
POSITION SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Staff Reporter to cover [beat / coverage
area] for our [local / digital] newsroom. You will report, write, and
file accurate, timely stories on deadline, building sources and
breaking news that matters to our audience.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Report and write news stories on [your beat] on deadline
•Develop and maintain sources
•Pitch and follow story ideas
•Verify facts and confirm with multiple sources
•Follow AP style and our editorial standards
•File across formats ([print / web / social])
•Cover events, meetings, and breaking news as needed
•Collaborate with editors and other reporters
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[Bachelor's in journalism, communications, English, or equivalent]
•[1+] years reporting, or strong internship and clips
•Excellent writing, reporting, and interviewing skills
•Knowledge of AP style and news judgment
•Ability to meet deadlines under pressure
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Experience covering [your beat or region]
•Photography, video, or social media skills
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Salary range: $_ - $_ [+ benefits]
To apply, email __ with your resume and clips.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: Multimedia / Digital Journalist
For a digital newsroom: writing plus video, audio, social, CMS, and SEO, optimized for an online audience.
Multimedia / Digital Journalist Job Description
MULTIMEDIA / DIGITAL JOURNALIST JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State] / Remote)
Department: Editorial / Digital
Reports to: [Digital Editor / Managing Editor]
Employment type: Full-time, W-2 employee
FLSA status: [Confirm by duties and salary; routine reporting is often non-exempt]
Salary range: $_ - $_
POSITION SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Multimedia Journalist to report and produce
stories across digital channels. You will write, shoot, edit, and
publish across [web, social, video, audio], optimizing for our online
audience while keeping our reporting accurate and fast.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Report, write, and publish stories for [web and social]
•Produce multimedia: short video, audio, and graphics
•Manage content in the CMS and optimize for SEO
•Grow and engage our audience on social platforms
•Track analytics and adjust coverage
•File quickly on breaking news
•Verify facts and follow editorial standards
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[Bachelor's in journalism, communications, or equivalent]
•[1+] years in digital journalism or content
•Strong writing plus basic video, audio, or photo skills
•CMS, social, and basic SEO experience
•Fast, accurate, and deadline-driven
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Experience at a digital-native outlet
•Data or audience-growth experience
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Salary range: $_ - $_ [+ benefits]
To apply, email __ with your resume and samples.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Still Using Spreadsheets for Onboarding?
Automate documents, training assignments, task management, and track onboarding progress in real time.
Most journalist roles weigh demonstrated reporting and writing skill, and clips, alongside a typical bachelor's in journalism or communications. List what is truly required separately from what is preferred, and always ask for samples.
Type
What to look for
Core skills
Reporting, writing, interviewing, news judgment
Standards
AP style, accuracy, verification, ethics
Education
Bachelor's in journalism/communications (typical)
Evidence
Clips, portfolio, or a reel
Weigh clips and a reporting test over a specific degree, and keep the language neutral and job-related, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on protected characteristics. For a fuller framework, the SHRM guide to writing a job description covers the standard sections.
FLSA: Are Reporters Exempt or Non-Exempt?
This is the question that has produced lawsuits, because reporters do not fit neatly into the exemptions, and the answer depends on the actual work rather than the title.
Routine Reporting Is Often Non-Exempt
The creative professional exemption applies when a journalist's primary duty requires invention, imagination, originality, or talent, analyzing and interpreting the news, writing commentary, or doing original work. Federal guidance is explicit that journalists are not exempt if they only collect, organize, and record routine or already-public information without contributing unique interpretation. So a beat reporter doing routine news-gathering may be non-exempt and owed overtime, while a columnist or investigative reporter is more likely exempt. The role must also meet the $684 per week ($35,568 per year) threshold. Review DOL Fact Sheet 17D and classify by the actual duties.
Default to non-exempt when the reporting is routine, and reserve exempt status for genuinely analytical or original roles. For the underlying rules, the exempt vs non-exempt guide and the Fair Labor Standards Act guide explain the tests. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm with an employment attorney, since some states set a higher salary floor than the federal level.
Rights and Ownership of a Journalist's Work
Who owns the work depends on whether the journalist is an employee or a contractor, and it is worth stating clearly in writing either way.
Employee Work-Made-for-Hire vs Contractor Rights
For a W-2 staff journalist, work created within the scope of employment is generally a work made for hire owned by the outlet by default, though stating it is good practice. For a 1099 freelancer, the contractor typically retains copyright unless the agreement transfers it, so freelance contracts commonly specify the rights granted, for example first serial rights (the right to publish first) versus a full work-made-for-hire transfer. Address rights in writing for every arrangement: state ownership in a staff offer, and specify the exact rights, rate, and kill fee in a freelance agreement.
This matters for republishing, syndication, and archives. When significant rights or money are involved, have the agreement reviewed. An employment contract template covers the staff side; the freelance template above handles the contractor scope of work.
Journalist Pay
Journalist pay varies widely by medium, employer, and experience, and the spread within the occupation is large.
Journalist Pay Anchor (BLS)
News analysts, reporters, and journalists had a median annual wage of $60,280 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under $34,590 and the highest 10 percent over $162,430 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Pay differs sharply by industry: streaming, social, and content providers and television tend to pay more, while newspaper roles tend to pay the least.
Digital-native and local newsrooms often pay toward the lower-to-middle of the range, especially for early-career reporters, while freelance pay is set per article, word, or project. Set your range using current market data for your specific type of outlet and region rather than the occupation-wide median.
An Honest Note on the Industry
Journalism is a contracting field. BLS projects employment of news analysts, reporters, and journalists to decline about 4 percent from 2024 to 2034, with roughly 4,100 openings a year, essentially all from turnover rather than new positions. Newsroom employment has fallen substantially since 2008, even as digital-native roles have grown. Hiring still happens steadily through turnover, but this is a shrinking occupation nationally.
Hiring a Journalist for a Small Outlet
A large media company has HR and legal to handle classification and rights. A small or digital-native outlet makes these hires directly, often its first reporter, and faces three things most templates skip: the FLSA classification, the W-2-versus-1099 decision, and rights. Here is how to handle them.
Reporters are one of the most-litigated FLSA classifications, and many are non-exempt
Whether a reporter is exempt from overtime is genuinely tricky, and it is an area employers get wrong often enough that it has produced notable lawsuits. The relevant test is the creative professional exemption: it applies when the journalist's primary duty requires invention, imagination, originality, or talent, analyzing, interpreting, or commenting on the news, writing editorials or commentary, or doing distinctive original work. Federal guidance is explicit, though, that journalists are not exempt creative professionals if they only collect, organize, and record information that is routine or already public, or if they do not contribute a unique interpretation or analysis. In practice, that means a beat reporter doing straightforward news-gathering and rewriting may be non-exempt and owed overtime, while a columnist or investigative reporter doing original analysis is more likely exempt. The role must also meet the salary threshold of $684 per week ($35,568 per year) to be exempt on a salary basis. Because the determination turns on the actual day-to-day work, look hard at the duties before classifying, default to non-exempt when the work is routine, and confirm with counsel, since misclassification here carries real back-pay risk and some states set a higher salary floor.
Decide W-2 employee vs 1099 contractor before you hire, and document it
Journalism has an unusually high share of self-employed workers, so the W-2-versus-1099 question comes up constantly, and getting it wrong is costly. The distinction is not about what you call the role but about the actual working relationship: a W-2 employee works under your direction and schedule, uses your equipment, and is on payroll with taxes withheld, while a 1099 contractor controls how and when the work gets done, uses their own tools, works for other clients, and handles their own taxes. A staff reporter you direct day to day is an employee; a freelancer you commission for a specific story on their own terms is a contractor. Misclassifying an employee as a contractor to avoid payroll taxes and benefits is a common and penalized mistake. So decide deliberately, use the right document for each, an offer letter and onboarding for a W-2 staff reporter, a scope-of-work agreement for a 1099 freelancer, and for contractors spell out the rights granted, the rate and kill fee, and that they are responsible for their own taxes. The freelance template on this page is a contractor scope of work, not an employee job description, precisely because they are different relationships.
A new reporter needs sources, standards, and tools, and a freelancer needs a clean contract
Onboarding looks different for a staff hire than for a freelancer, and both benefit from a clean, repeatable process, especially at a small or digital-native outlet running HR on the side. For a W-2 staff reporter, plan the basics before day one: the offer letter with the right FLSA classification and salary, the I-9 and tax forms, and signed ethics, confidentiality, and source-protection policies, then set up access to the CMS, style guide, and tools, introduce them to their beat and editors, and give them a clear first-90-days plan. For a 1099 freelancer, the equivalent is a clean contractor agreement that spells out the scope, rights, and payment, plus the W-9 and your editorial standards, with no benefits or payroll setup. FirstHR fits the W-2 side: e-signature for the offer letter and policy acknowledgments, document management to store signed ethics policies and contributor agreements, onboarding workflows and an AI onboarding wizard for the first weeks, and an HRIS with an org chart placing the reporter under the editor. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with your payroll and benefits providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
After You Hire: Onboarding a Journalist
Onboarding depends on whether you hired a staff employee or engaged a freelancer. For a W-2 staff reporter, start with the basics before day one: send the offer letter stating the FLSA classification and salary, collect the signed offer, complete Form I-9 and tax forms as part of the new hire paperwork, and have them sign ethics, confidentiality, and source-protection policies.
Then set up access to the CMS, style guide, and tools, introduce them to their beat and editors, and give them a clear first-90-days plan, with signed onboarding documents kept in one place. The offer letter template covers the terms. For a 1099 freelancer, the equivalent is a clean scope-of-work agreement covering deliverables, rights, rate, and kill fee, plus a W-9, with no payroll or benefits setup.
FirstHR fits the staff side of this: e-signature for the offer letter and policy acknowledgments, document management to store signed ethics policies and contributor agreements, onboarding workflows and an AI onboarding wizard for the first weeks, training assignments for standards and tools, and an HRIS with an org chart placing the reporter under the editor, all of which help a small outlet handle the hire cleanly. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect your payroll and benefits providers for those functions. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A journalist gathers, verifies, writes, and shares news, increasingly across digital and multimedia formats; journalist and reporter are largely interchangeable.
Decide W-2 employee vs 1099 freelancer first, since journalism has a high share of freelancers and misclassification is penalized.
Reporters are one of the more litigated FLSA classifications: routine news-gathering is often non-exempt, while original analysis is more likely exempt.
Address rights in writing: staff work is generally work-made-for-hire, while freelancers retain copyright unless the agreement grants specific rights.
Pay anchor: news analysts, reporters, and journalists had a median of $60,280 in May 2024, varying sharply by medium.
Journalism is a shrinking field (projected to decline about 4 percent through 2034), though hiring continues steadily through turnover.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a journalist do?
A journalist gathers, verifies, writes, and shares news and information with the public. The core work is reporting (developing sources, attending events, requesting records), verification (confirming facts across multiple sources), writing (producing clear, accurate stories on deadline, usually in AP style), and increasingly multimedia production for digital and social channels. The specifics vary by role: a staff reporter covers a beat for a newsroom, a multimedia or digital journalist writes plus shoots and produces for online audiences, a photojournalist tells stories through images, a broadcast journalist reports on camera or on air, and an investigative reporter digs into records and data over longer timelines. Journalist and reporter are often used interchangeably, though journalist is the broader term. At a small or digital-native outlet, one person often does several of these jobs, which is why the templates on this page split by role and are written to be adapted to your newsroom.
What is the difference between a staff journalist and a freelance journalist?
The difference is the working relationship, which determines how you classify, pay, and document the role. A staff journalist is a W-2 employee: they work under your direction and schedule, are on payroll with taxes withheld, may be eligible for benefits, and usually use your equipment. A freelance journalist is a 1099 independent contractor: they control how and when they do the work, use their own tools, typically write for multiple clients, handle their own taxes, and are paid per article, per word, or per project rather than a salary. The distinction is not about the title but about the actual relationship, and misclassifying an employee as a contractor to avoid payroll taxes and benefits is a common and penalized mistake. Use an offer letter and onboarding for a staff reporter, and a scope-of-work agreement for a freelancer. The freelance template on this page is a contractor agreement, not an employee job description, because they are genuinely different arrangements with different legal and tax consequences.
Are journalists and reporters exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
It depends on the actual work, and reporters are one of the more litigated classifications. The relevant standard is the creative professional exemption, which applies when the journalist's primary duty requires invention, imagination, originality, or talent: analyzing and interpreting the news, writing editorials or commentary, or producing distinctive original work. Federal guidance is explicit that journalists are not exempt creative professionals if they only collect, organize, and record information that is routine or already public, or if they do not contribute a unique interpretation or analysis. In practice, a beat reporter doing straightforward news-gathering and rewriting may be non-exempt and owed overtime, while a columnist or investigative reporter doing original analysis is more likely exempt. The role must also meet the salary threshold of $684 per week ($35,568 per year) to qualify on a salary basis. Because it turns on the day-to-day duties, look closely at the actual work, default to non-exempt when the reporting is routine, and confirm with counsel, since misclassification carries back-pay risk and some states apply higher thresholds.
Should I hire a journalist as a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor?
Decide based on the real working relationship, not on which is cheaper. If you direct the person's day-to-day work, set their schedule, provide equipment, and expect ongoing availability, they are functionally a W-2 employee and should be classified that way, with payroll, tax withholding, and any benefits. If you commission specific stories from someone who controls how and when they work, uses their own tools, writes for other clients, and invoices you per project, they are a 1099 independent contractor. A full-time staff reporter is almost always an employee; an occasional freelancer you assign individual pieces to is a contractor. The temptation to label a de facto employee a contractor to save on taxes and benefits is exactly the misclassification that draws penalties. Document each correctly: an offer letter and onboarding for the employee, and a scope-of-work agreement specifying deliverables, rights, rate, and kill fee for the contractor. When in doubt about a genuinely mixed situation, get advice, because the classification has real tax and legal consequences.
How much does a journalist make?
Journalist pay varies widely by medium, employer, and experience. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, news analysts, reporters, and journalists had a median annual wage of $60,280 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent earning under $34,590 and the highest 10 percent over $162,430. The spread is large because pay differs sharply by industry: roles at media streaming, social, and content providers and at television broadcasting tend to pay more, while newspaper roles, historically the largest segment, tend to pay the least. Digital-native and local newsrooms often pay toward the lower-to-middle of the range, especially for early-career reporters. Freelance pay works differently, set per article, per word, or per project rather than as a salary. Because pay depends so much on the medium and market, set your range using current market data for your specific type of outlet and region rather than the occupation-wide median.
Who owns the rights to a journalist's work?
It depends on whether the journalist is an employee or a contractor, and you should make it explicit in the offer or agreement. For a W-2 staff journalist, work created within the scope of employment is generally a work made for hire owned by the employer by default, though it is still good practice to state this. For a 1099 freelancer, the default is different: the contractor typically retains copyright unless the agreement transfers it or grants specific rights, so freelance contracts commonly specify what is being granted, for example first serial rights (the right to publish the piece first) versus a full work-made-for-hire transfer of all rights. This matters for republishing, syndication, and archives. The practical step is to address rights clearly in writing for every arrangement: state work-made-for-hire and ownership in a staff offer, and specify the exact rights granted, along with rate and kill fee, in a freelance scope-of-work agreement. When significant rights or money are involved, have the agreement reviewed.
What should a journalist job description include?
A strong journalist job description includes a short outlet and role summary, the core responsibilities, the required and preferred qualifications, the employment and pay details, and a clear application step that asks for clips or a portfolio. For responsibilities, focus on the actual work: reporting and writing on deadline, source development, verification, AP style, and any multimedia production, plus role-specific elements (records and data for investigative, equipment for photo, on-air presence for broadcast). Two things most templates skip but that matter a lot here: state the FLSA classification thoughtfully, since routine reporting is often non-exempt, and decide and label W-2 employee versus 1099 contractor, since journalism has a high share of freelancers. Name your outlet, your coverage area, and an honest pay range, and ask for clips. The templates on this page give you a role-matched, fill-in-the-blank starting point, including a separate contractor scope of work for freelancers, with the FLSA and classification guidance built in.
What happens after I hire a journalist?
Onboarding depends on whether you hired a staff employee or engaged a freelancer. For a W-2 staff reporter, start with the basics before day one: send the offer letter stating the FLSA classification and salary, collect the signed offer, complete Form I-9 and tax forms, and have them sign ethics, confidentiality, and source-protection policies. Then set up access to the CMS, style guide, and tools, introduce them to their beat and editors, and give them a clear first-90-days plan. For a 1099 freelancer, the equivalent is a clean scope-of-work agreement covering deliverables, rights, rate, and kill fee, plus a W-9 and your editorial standards, with no payroll or benefits setup. Because a small or digital-native outlet usually runs HR on the side, a repeatable process keeps it clean. FirstHR fits the staff side, from the e-signed offer letter and stored ethics policies and contributor agreements to the onboarding workflow and first-90-days plan. FirstHR does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those providers separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
