A newspaper is the result of many people’s efforts, from the moment a writer first develops a story idea to the moment the completed newspaper arrives on your front lawn or in your delivery box. Careers in the newspaper business include creative jobs such as writing or photography, technical jobs such as information technology or printing, business jobs in advertising and circulation, and distribution jobs such as the paper boy’s route.

The Industry is Shifting

The greatest growth areas in the newspaper are in the online media, according to a March 2014 report from the Pew Research Center. A June 2013 article in Poyntner notes that newsroom jobs in reporting, editing and other areas of journalism have dropped by 30.9 percent since 2006. In some cases, that simply means journalists migrate from print to online media, but in others, it means job opportunities for new careers in newspaper information technology, such as software developers for new apps or technical support for online media publications.

The Medium is Changing

Although newspapers still publish hard copy, many also have an online presence. Writers, editors and photographers may work in both media. Information technology specialists support both the office electronic systems and the online presence, which might include websites, mobile editions, apps and social media platforms, according to the Iowa’s Newspapers website. On the hard copy side, printing workers review and arrange the written material and photographs, and perform the actual printing. Some newspapers use digital printing techniques and these workers must have computer skills.

It's Not Business as Usual

The business side of a newspaper is where you’ll find employees involved in marketing the paper itself as well as selling advertisements. Traditional newspaper advertising relied on classified advertising and hard copy inserts, while online media offers the possible of interactive advertising, video and audio displays. These changes require employees with different skills -- online media developers, for example, rather than graphic artists. The circulation department handles subscriptions as well as the actual distribution of the paper. Since the newspaper itself is a business, it offers careers for financial managers, salespeople and human resources staffers. Other possible jobs include those of receptionist and payroll supervisor or payroll clerks.

The Paper Still Goes Out

Once the paper has been created, checked for accuracy and printed, it must be physically distributed. The papers are bundled or otherwise packaged for delivery by warehouse staff, transported to their destinations and offloaded for sale or for individual delivery. For a large national newspaper, distribution could include jobs for truck drivers or delivery van drivers. On a local level, carriers deliver the paper to drop points such as stores and individuals in rural areas, while deliveries in a town might be handled by a teenager on a bike.

What's in Store

Newspaper occupations differ in terms of education and experience requirements, salaries and job outlook, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editors typically need bachelor’s degrees, for example, while a truck driver might have no formal education beyond high school. Jobs for editors are projected to decline 2 percent and for reporters are projected to decline 13 percent from 2012 to 2022, according to the BLS. However, Poynter reports 2,600 editorial jobs lost in 2012, a drop of 6.4 percent. Average annual salaries in 2013 ranged from $192,530 for chief executives in the newspaper business to $22,450 for door-to-door and street vendors such as paper carriers and newsstand owners.