Journalism: What It Is, How It Works and How to Work in It in the UK
Journalism is the work of finding out, checking and publishing information in the public interest — news, analysis and explanation — under standards of accuracy, fairness and accountability. This guide explains what journalists do, the main types of journalism, who regulates it in the UK, the laws and codes that apply, and where to go next.
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Quick answer
Journalism is the gathering, checking and publication of information in the public interest. In the UK it is overseen by several bodies rather than one — IPSO and IMPRESS for the press, Ofcom for broadcasting — and it operates within media law and professional codes such as the NUJ Code of Conduct. There is no single mandatory way in, though the NCTJ Diploma is the industry-standard qualification.
What is journalism?
Journalism is the practice of finding out what is happening, checking that it is true, and publishing it so that the public can act on it. What distinguishes professional journalism is the discipline around the work: verifying claims before they run, giving people a fair opportunity to respond, correcting mistakes, and being accountable to an editor, a code of conduct and, where it applies, a regulator.
The word covers a wide range of work — a council-meeting report in a local paper, a broadcast bulletin, a data investigation, a court report, a podcast or a newsletter. Our guide to activism versus journalism looks at where the line falls, and our guide to citizen journalism covers non-professional reporting.
What do journalists do?
Journalists find stories, interview sources, check facts, write or produce the finished piece and answer for it afterwards. Newsroom jobs divide that work between roles. The roles our salary guide compares are:
- Reporter / journalist
- Sub-editor: see our subediting guide.
- Producer (broadcast or digital): see our broadcast journalism section.
- Digital editor
- News editor
- Editor (title or section)
Many journalists also work freelance, pitching to several outlets rather than holding a staff post; see getting started as a freelance journalist.
What are the main types of journalism?
Journalism is usually described by the kind of work, the subject or the medium. These are the types covered in depth on this site:
- News and features: see news vs feature writing and magazine feature writing.
- Investigative journalism: see investigative techniques and the investigative section.
- Data journalism: see data journalism for beginners.
- Court reporting: see the court reporting guide.
- Local and hyperlocal journalism: see the future of local journalism and covering local government.
- Broadcast journalism: see the broadcast section.
- Specialist reporting: sport, finance, the environment and other beats — for example sports journalism ethics, financial journalism and environmental journalism.
Who regulates journalism in the UK?
There is no single regulator: print and broadcast are overseen differently, and some outlets sit outside the main press regulator.
- IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisation) regulates most national and regional newspapers, handles complaints and enforces the Editors' Code of Practice. The Guardian, the Financial Times and some regional titles are not IPSO members. See our guide to the IPSO Editors' Code.
- IMPRESS is the press regulator accredited by the Press Recognition Panel, and primarily regulates smaller digital news outlets.
- Ofcom regulates UK broadcasting. Its Broadcast Code sets standards for accuracy, impartiality, harm and privacy — see the Ofcom Broadcast Code guide.
For who owns the UK's outlets and how they are regulated, see the UK media landscape overview; to make a complaint, see the press complaints guide.
Which laws apply to journalists?
Journalists in the UK work within several areas of law at once. Our complete guide to UK media law covers the Defamation Act 2013, the Contempt of Court Act 1981, the Data Protection Act 2018 (including its journalism exemption), copyright under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, privacy under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Online Safety Act 2023. Each carries its own civil or criminal risk.
- Defamation law for journalists
- Contempt of court for reporters
- How to file a Freedom of Information request
- The full law section and the FOI section
The law can differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and our disclaimer sets out that this site's information is not legal advice.
What ethical standards guide journalists?
Alongside the law, journalists work to professional codes. The NUJ Code of Conduct is the National Union of Journalists' code for its members; the IPSO Editors' Code applies to IPSO-regulated publications; and the Ofcom Broadcast Code applies to broadcasters. Our ethics section works through the practical dilemmas, and fact-checking and corrections are covered in their own guides.
How do you become a journalist?
UK journalism has never had a single mandatory entry route, but the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Diploma in Journalism is the industry-standard qualification. It can be taken through a university degree, a postgraduate course or a Level 5 apprenticeship, and work experience and published clips matter alongside it. Our complete career guide sets out each route, and the journalism courses guide compares courses. The careers and training sections go further.
How much do journalists earn?
It depends on role, employer, sector and location, and the range is wide. Our journalism salary guide sets out indicative 2026 bands by role, region and sector, and freelance journalist rates covers day rates and per-piece fees. The NUJ publishes recommended minimum rates; see journalism unions and organisations.
Frequently asked questions
What is journalism?
Journalism is the work of finding out, checking and publishing information in the public interest, such as news, analysis and explanation, under standards of accuracy, fairness and accountability. In the UK that work is shaped by press and broadcast regulators, by media law and by professional codes of conduct.
Who regulates journalism in the UK?
There is no single regulator. IPSO regulates most national and regional newspapers and enforces the Editors’ Code of Practice. IMPRESS is the press regulator accredited by the Press Recognition Panel. Ofcom regulates UK broadcasting under the Ofcom Broadcast Code. Some outlets, including the Guardian and the Financial Times, are not IPSO members.
Do you need a degree to become a journalist in the UK?
No. UK journalism has never had a single mandatory entry route, but the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism is the industry-standard qualification and employers at regional newspapers, broadcasters and digital publishers regularly specify it. It can be taken through a university degree, a postgraduate course or a Level 5 apprenticeship.
Which UK laws do journalists need to know?
Our media law guide covers the Defamation Act 2013, the Contempt of Court Act 1981, the Data Protection Act 2018 (including its journalism exemption), copyright under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, privacy under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Online Safety Act 2023.
Where to go next
- All topic hubs — the full map of guides on this site
- Glossary — journalism and media-law terms explained
- UK press freedom in 2026 — threats, protections and global rankings
- Journalism salaries in the UK — pay by role, region and sector
Related guides
Related articles
Primary sources
- Broadcasting regulation and the Ofcom Broadcast Code— Ofcom
- Member list and the Editors' Code of Practice— Independent Press Standards Organisation
- Oversight of recognised press regulators— Press Recognition Panel
- National Union of Journalists— NUJ
- National Council for the Training of Journalists— NCTJ