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News Desk Assistant Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Hearst

WGAL News Intern - 2026 Fall

Lancaster, PA · On-site

Assignment Desk: * Assist team members in gathering news and information. This includes taking and placing telephone calls from reporters, sources, governments agencies and general public. * May also ...

Hearst

WGAL News Intern - 2026 Fall

Lancaster, PA · On-site

Assignment Desk: * Assist team members in gathering news and information. This includes taking and placing telephone calls from reporters, sources, governments agencies and general public. * May also ...

The New York Times

News Assistant

New York, NY · On-site

The New York Times is looking for a news assistant to work in a floater role to learn several ... Manage desk social media accounts at the direction of editors * Write and reword caption ...

KTVN 2 News Nevada

News Producer

Reno, NV

News Producer Location: KTVN 2 News Nevada Company: Sarkes Tarzian Position Summary The News ... newscasts. * Assist with the assignment desk, especially during nights and weekends. * Pitch ...

The New York Times

News Assistant

New York, NY · On-site

$67K - $68K/yr

The New York Times is looking for a news assistant to work in a floater role to learn several ... Manage desk social media accounts at the direction of editors * Write and reword caption ...

Kraus-Anderson

City Desk Assistant

Circle Pines, MN · On-site

$19 - $25/hr

Founded in 1897 and privately owned and managed by the Engelsma family for more than 70 years, KA is consistently ranked by Engineering News Record among the top 50 general contractors in the United ...

Digital Remedy

Assistant Director, News

Baltimore, MD · On-site

$86K - $115K/yr

The Assistant News Director oversees the production of newscasts and assignments while working ... The AD also assists with running the Assignment Desk by helping coordinate breaking news coverage ...

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News Desk Assistant information

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How much do news desk assistant jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 8, 2026, the average hourly pay for news desk assistant in the United States is $20.84, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.55 and $23.08 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a news desk assistant do?

A News Desk Assistant plays a crucial role in supporting the newsroom's operations by handling tasks such as monitoring news wires, assisting with story research, coordinating logistics, and ensuring timely communication between reporters, producers, and editors. They often manage administrative duties and help prioritize breaking news, making themselves an essential link in the fast-paced news environment. This position provides hands-on exposure to the editorial process and offers valuable experience for those aspiring to advance in journalism, as it requires adaptability, strong organizational skills, and effective teamwork.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a news desk assistant?

To thrive as a News Desk Assistant, you need strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a relevant degree in journalism or communications. Familiarity with newsroom management systems, content management platforms, and proficiency in using newswires and editing software are typically required. Excellent communication, multitasking, and teamwork skills help you manage fast-paced environments and coordinate with reporters and editors. These abilities ensure accurate information flow, timely news coverage, and efficient newsroom operations.

What is the difference between News Desk Assistant vs News Reporter?

AspectNews Desk AssistantNews Reporter
CredentialsHigh school diploma or equivalent; some roles may prefer journalism or communication degreesBachelor's degree in journalism, communications, or related field
Work EnvironmentNewsrooms, media outlets, often in fast-paced environments supporting reportersField and studio reporting, interviews, live coverage
Employer & Industry UsageMedia companies, newspapers, online news platformsNews organizations, TV stations, online media
Search & Comparison IntentSupport roles assisting in news productionActive reporting and storytelling

The main difference is that a News Desk Assistant primarily supports news production behind the scenes, handling tasks like research and coordination, while a News Reporter actively gathers and reports news stories. Both roles are essential in the journalism industry but differ in responsibilities and experience requirements.

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Infographic showing various News Desk Assistant job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 72% Full Time, 22% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $43,356 per year, or $20.8 per hour.

WGAL News Intern - 2026 Fall

Hearst

Lancaster, PA • On-site

Part-time

Re-posted 11 days ago

Hearst rating

6.6

Company rating: 6.6 out of 10

Based on 28 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

57th of 78 rated media

Job description

WGAL-TV offers paid internships in the News department. In order to apply for an internship at WGAL, please provide a cover letter with your application; along with any applicable attachments, including writing samples, reels, etc. of your work.

The cover letter should include:

Department preference (for example, News Producing, Reporting, Photography, Sports or Meteorology)

Available start and end dates

Days and hours available to intern

Briefly state your main objectives for participating in WGAL-TV internship (please be specific)

What are your strongest areas of interest

Application Deadlines 

  • Fall:  June 30, 2026

NEWSROOM:

Newsroom interns will spend 10-12 weeks shadowing and gaining experience in the following departments:

Assignment Desk:

  • Assist team members in gathering news and information. This includes taking and placing telephone calls from reporters, sources, governments agencies and general public.
  • May also assist in research and other tasks.

TV News Production:

  • Practice writing and formatting scripts for broadcast.
  • Time in the field shadowing reporters or anchors at a live report is possible but not guaranteed.

Digital News Production:

  • Help research and write content for WGAL digital platforms including the WGAL app, WGAL.com and various social media platforms.
  • When appropriate, the opportunity to help with photo and video production for digital platforms may be available

Photographers and Logistics:

  • Assist team members with field work and news gathering

Internships are scheduled based on mutual availability and academic schedule and requirements, but may consist of 16-hours per week

SPORTS:

Interns should be well versed in both the local and national sports scenes (college and professional). The ability to converse about the hot sports topics of the day is a MUST. Interns should have working knowledge of the local sports scene (i.e., aware of managers, head coaches and star players of the local professional teams) and be conversational on major national sports stories and events.

Interns will learn to:

  • Write scripts for daily sportscast.
  • Research team and player statistics.
  • Pitch story ideas to sports department
  • May accompany reporters on location shoots but not guaranteed

Internships are scheduled based on mutual availability and academic schedule and requirements, but may consist of 16-hours per week

WEATHER:

***Please note: All candidates for internships with WGAL's Weather department MUST be enrolled in a meteorology curriculum or closely related program of study.

In an internship at WGAL we stress analyzing and forecasting first, followed by storytelling and graphics production.

Interns will learn to:

  • Analyze weather charts and models
  • Prepare daily forecasts
  • Produce weather graphics
  • Assist meteorologists in gathering critical & breaking weather information and data
  • Relay important information to/from News, Assignment Desk, and Web
  • Research statistical data
  • Practice forecast delivery in-studio
  • Assist with social media efforts and email communication

Internships are scheduled based on mutual availability and academic schedule and requirements, but may consist of 16-hours per week

Values in Action

At Hearst Television we tell stories every day. Stories about people of all backgrounds, perspectives, and identities. That's why, behind the scenes, we believe in being an organization that fosters collaboration and open communication, ensuring that the content we create is authentic, accurate, and connected to the communities we serve.

Hearst Television (HTV) owns and/or operates 35 television and two radio stations serving 27 media markets across 39 states reaching nearly 25 million U.S. television households. HTV is recognized as one of the industry's premier broadcasting companies and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation, and community service.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. we do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, creed, national, origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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