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General Assignment Reporter Jobs in Austin, TX (NOW HIRING)

Real Estate and Development Reporter, Austin American-Statesman The Austin American-Statesman is seeking an experienced business reporter to cover Central Texas real estate - from home sales and ...

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General Assignment Reporter information

See Austin, TX salary details

$14.9K

$42K

$76.8K

How much do general assignment reporter jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for general assignment reporter in Austin, TX is $42,006.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $31,700.00 and $49,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between General Assignment Reporter vs Beat Reporter?

AspectGeneral Assignment ReporterBeat Reporter
Primary FocusCovering a wide range of topics and breaking newsSpecialized coverage of a specific beat or subject
Work EnvironmentVaried, often on short notice, covering different storiesConsistent, in-depth reporting within a specific area
CredentialsJournalism degree, reporting experienceSimilar credentials, often with expertise in the beat

Both roles require journalism skills and reporting experience, but a General Assignment Reporter covers diverse topics, while a Beat Reporter specializes in a particular area. The choice depends on whether you prefer variety or in-depth expertise in a specific field.

What does a General Assignment Reporter do?

A General Assignment Reporter is a journalist who covers a wide range of news stories rather than focusing on a specific beat, such as politics or sports. They are often sent to report on breaking news, community events, crime, human interest stories, and other topics as assigned by their editors. Their day-to-day tasks can vary greatly, requiring flexibility, strong research skills, and the ability to work under tight deadlines. General Assignment Reporters must quickly gather information, conduct interviews, and write clear, accurate articles for print, online, or broadcast media.

What are some common challenges faced by General Assignment Reporters in managing diverse story topics and tight deadlines?

General Assignment Reporters often juggle multiple stories on a variety of topics, which requires quick adaptability and strong organizational skills. They typically work under tight deadlines, making it essential to prioritize tasks and efficiently gather accurate information from different sources. Balancing breaking news coverage with longer-term feature stories can be demanding, but it also offers opportunities to develop a wide-ranging skill set and build relationships across newsroom teams. Collaboration with editors, photographers, and digital teams is key to producing timely, well-rounded stories.

What Is a General Assignment Reporter?

A general assignment reporter writes about and reports on various topics for a newspaper, news website, or television station. As a general assignment reporter, the story types you are reporting on can range from human interest to breaking news. Your assignments change on a regular basis, depending on the most pressing events of the day. Your primary duties revolve around finding content for your report. A general assignment reporter job is a great way to gain experience before becoming an editor, news director, or columnist. Most general assignment reporters earn a bachelor’s degree in journalism, communication, or a related field.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a General Assignment Reporter, and why are they important?

To thrive as a General Assignment Reporter, you need excellent writing, research, and interviewing skills, typically supported by a degree in journalism, communications, or a related field. Familiarity with content management systems (CMS), digital publishing tools, and multimedia equipment is often required. Strong soft skills include curiosity, adaptability, time management, and effective interpersonal communication. These abilities are crucial for producing accurate, timely, and engaging news stories in a fast-paced and ever-changing media environment.
Infographic showing various General Assignment Reporter job openings in Austin, TX as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% Locum Tenens, 1% As Needed, 58% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 24% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $42,006 per year, or $20.2 per hour.
Real Estate & Development Reporter

Real Estate & Development Reporter

Hearst

Austin, TX • Hybrid

Full-time

Posted 25 days ago


Hearst rating

6.8

Company rating: 6.8 out of 10

Based on 25 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

48th of 67 rated media


Job description

Title: Real Estate and Development Reporter, Austin American-Statesman

The Austin American-Statesman is seeking an experienced business reporter to cover Central Texas real estate - from home sales and housing starts to office, industrial, retail and multifamily development, occupancy and rent, as well as the policies shaping growth in one of the fastest-growing regions in the state and nation.

What will you do?

As a member of the regional Business team, this reporter will break news and deliver exclusive enterprise on sales, leases, developments and market trends in residential and commercial real estate. In collaboration with the Austin Business Editor, will take a leading role in producing a regular real estate- and development-focused newsletter and collaborate on data-rich interactives, maps and visuals that bring growth and development to life.

Other requirements:

  • At least 5 years of daily journalism experience and at least 3 years in business, real estate or growth and development coverage.
  • A digital-first mindset with strong SEO, headline writing and audience instincts.
  • Adept at using social platforms to track companies, officials and community conversations.
  • Track record of source development in publicly traded, closely held and private companies.
  • Experience covering earnings reports and other SEC filings.
  • Ability to collaborate in a fast-paced environment with visuals, data and audience teams across Hearst Texas newsrooms.

This position reports to the Austin Business Editor as part of a Hearst Texas Business news staff in Austin and San Antonio. The department also covers technology, energy, utilities, auto manufacturing, labor, trade, aerospace, cybersecurity, insurance, retail, tourism, economic development and the region's major companies and industries. Among the companies of focus are Tesla, Dell, Cisco, Oracle, Valero, USAA, SpaceX, Boeing, Samsung, HEB and Whataburger.

About The Austin American-Statesman:

The Austin American-Statesman has been the leading source of news and information for Central Texas since 1871, serving a dynamic and fast-growing region anchored by the capital city of Texas. Austin is known for its vibrant tech industry, rich cultural heritage, influential government institutions and creative spirit. The Statesman's award-winning journalists provide in-depth coverage of the issues that matter most to Austinites - from local government and business to education, the environment and Austin's ever-evolving music and cultural scenes. With a strong focus on accountability journalism and investigative reporting, the Statesman plays a critical role in informing and engaging its community.

About Hearst Newspapers:

With 2,500 employees across the nation, HNP represents a network of 24 daily and 52 weekly publications including the Austin American-Statesman, San Antonio Express-News, Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, Albany Times Union, several top digital-only news and lifestyle sites, marketing services businesses, and entertainment businesses such as King Features Syndicate. At HNP, we are investing in new and innovative ways to tell stories - growing newsrooms, diversifying tools, evolving platforms - to support the millions of people who trust us each month to help them make decisions, take action and be inspired. Be a part of something bigger - Your Headline Awaits.

Recognizing the diverse needs of our candidates, if you are interested in applying for employment and need assistance or an accommodation to use our website or regarding the application process, please contact us by email at hnpemployment@hearst.com.  Please do not use this email address to inquire about the status of applications. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests for a reasonable accommodation through this email address.

#LI-KR1  #LI-Hybrid

What will it take to be successful?

  • An ability to surface breaking news and trends by mining data from a broad range of sources: area municipalities, courts, state agencies, real estate associations, brokers and banks.
  • Developing a network of sources among developers, builders, financiers, government officials, neighborhood groups and others who impact or are impacted by development.
  • Experience working with public records and market data: building permits, market reports, state development filings, zoning cases, deed and plat records, and the ability to convert such data into clear, compelling stories.
  • The ability to juggle breaking news with ambitious enterprise and analysis that connects the dots for readers and influences policy discussions.

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