ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

General Assignment Reporter Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

NEWSWELL

Staff Reporter - Wednesday Journal

Oak Park, IL · On-site

$51K/yr

Staff Reporter - Wednesday Journal The Reporter is a general assignment role for a journalist who wants to report frequently, improve quickly and take on increasing responsibility over time. You'll ...

Asuep

Staff Reporter - Wednesday Journal

Oak Park, IL · On-site

$51K/yr

Staff Reporter - Wednesday Journal The Reporter is a general assignment role for a journalist who wants to report frequently, improve quickly and take on increasing responsibility over time. You'll ...

All JobsGeneral Assignment Reporter JobsGeneral Assignment Reporter Jobs in Chicago, IL

General Assignment Reporter information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$15.5K

$43.7K

$79.8K

How much do general assignment reporter jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for general assignment reporter in Chicago, IL is $43,656.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $33,000.00 and $51,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 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 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.

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 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.

More about General Assignment Reporter jobs
General Assignment Reporter jobs near you
Infographic showing various General Assignment Reporter job openings in Chicago, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 79% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $43,656 per year, or $21 per hour.

General Assignment Reporter (Sun-Times)

Chicago, IL • On-site, Remote

Chicago Sun-Times
Newspaper Publishers • 1 - 5K employees
Learn more about Chicago Sun-Timesexternal

$60K - $65K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 13 days ago

Job description

About Chicago Public Media
Chicago Public Media is one of the nation's largest local nonprofit news organizations. Home to WBEZ 91.5FM, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Vocalo. Chicago Public Media reaches more than 3.3 million people weekly across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. As a mission-driven organization, we aspire to be the most trusted news source Chicagoans turn to for understanding the people, events, and ideas shaping our community.
Chicago Public Media is a 100% community-funded newsroom powered by nearly 97,000 members whose support makes our journalism possible. This sustained community investment helped drive nationally recognized work in 2025, including 29 awards from esteemed organizations, including the Public Media Journalists Association, the Edward R. Murrow Awards, and the National Association of Black Journalists.
We believe independent journalism is essential to a healthy democracy and that access to objective, fact-based news is a right for every citizen. We serve the public interest by creating diverse content that informs and enriches our community, supported by a dedicated staff of approximately 250 professionals.
For more information, please see the Chicago Public Media Annual Report.
THE OPPORTUNITY
We are seeking an experienced General Assignment Reporter to join our growing newsroom. The General Assignment Reporter will provide breaking and trending news and feature coverage for and about the Chicago metropolitan area. The ideal candidate will be someone who can quickly discern facts from a political news conference or a crime scene as well as write with a fun, engaging voice on cultural trends. You may also be asked to provide multimedia elements for the stories you report. This role may entail working nights, weekends and holidays.
RESPONSIBILTIES
  • Provide breaking and trending news and feature coverage as well as produce in-depth pieces on trends and a variety of topics
  • Report clearly, accurately, and fairly to deliver fully sourced new stories on tight deadlines
  • Work collaboratively with editors and other reporters on breaking news and assigned stories
  • Conceptualize, research, plan, report, and produce accurate, original content, both independently and on assignment.
  • Produce high-profile work that contributes something new, compelling and/or useful to the public conversation.
  • Demonstrate strong reporting and storytelling skills, working to develop subject matter expertise - in the case of beat reporters - and diverse, strong sourcing.
  • Demonstrate sound, trustworthy editorial judgment, including attention to diverse experiences and perspectives, prioritize factual accuracy in all content and comply with best ethical practices.
  • Regularly meet deadlines and communicate effectively with managers, editors and colleagues, and help improve CST's audience relationships, workplace culture, editorial excellence and impact

QUALIFICATIONS
  • A minimum of two years of experience as a reporter
  • Bachelor's degree in journalism, communication, or a related field
  • A focus on producing accurate and factual stories
  • Ability to collaborate with reporters and editors on stories
  • Ability to write in-depth stories
  • Ability to juggle multiple stories while working on longer pieces
  • Ability to work nights, weekends, and some holidays
  • Ability to fill in for vacationing beat reporters

COMPENSATION
The expected pay range for this position is $60,000 to $65,500 per ANNUM.
Chicago Public Media provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the organization reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographical location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.
Working at Chicago Public Media
At Chicago Public Media, we care deeply about our employees as we know attracting, developing, and growing talent is key to our success and enhancing our impact.
Our culture is one where collaboration, diversity of ideas, and innovation are encouraged. We value colleagues who will enhance our culture by bringing new ideas, divergent experiences, and talents to our dynamic workplace.
At Chicago Public Media we believe dedication to a great workplace includes supporting our employees and their families. As a result, we provide a broad and generous benefits package for employees at hire and in the years to come.
Our benefits include a competitive salary and benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, vacation, holidays, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement savings, and a commuter benefits plan.
Chicago Public Media is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we actively seek and welcome people from all backgrounds, orientations, and life experiences to join our team.
The essential functions described above are not all-inclusive and are not intended to create any contractual or other legal commitment. Chicago Public Media may change the content or format of this job at any time in its sole and exclusive discretion without notice.

Apply