A gift card for their favorite coffee chain

Journalists are always getting coffee. Sometimes its 7 in the morning and other times its midnight; either way a gift card will be used in the matter of days.

Headphones

Headphones are a great gift for journalists as many of us have to travel for stories; so headphones are essential on the plane. Others in radio are always using headphones. Print journalists often use headphones to transcribe quotes or do research. Broadcast and videographers use headphones to edit clips. Giving a journalist a pair of headphones is always a win.

A nice pen

All journalist need to know how to write. This is some advice that Anderson Cooper even gave us when visiting the Walter Cronkite School. Our school makes sure broadcast students, videographers, photographers, etc have at least two years of writing experience before going into their specialization. A good pen goes a long way for all types of journalists.

A notepad

Journalists always need a pocket-sized notepad with them or a big notepad/binder at their desks. We are constantly having new ideas for a story, jotting down names and taking notes.

Camera Lens

A camera lens is always a necessity, and there are so many different kinds that you can't go wrong. This gift is especially good for photojournalists, but the truth is we all use cameras!

A book by a current or former journalist

Journalists are often not always journalism majors in college. Many are history majors or political science, and example of two are Jake Tapper and Anderson Cooper. A lot of students minor in these subjects as well. Journalists are always reading and its not always articles. We better our knowledge by reading and it is especially regarding when it is a book by someone in our profession.

Computer charger or portable charger

At my days with The State Press and all throughout college, my coworkers and fellow students asked, "does anyone have a charger?" about ever hour. Our computers are being used all day whether its for work, school, internships, etc. When I was working full days with class, I would charge my computer three times a day!

Portable chargers are nice too because our iPhones are essential to our job; they have recorders, notes, our contact lists and more. When we are reporting or on the move, it is essential to have a full battery.

Tape Recorder

This may seem a little old school, but when you are reporting all day, your phone could die, you could lose your notepad, or really, anything could happen. It is important to always have multiple backup options and a tape recorder is one of them. Even if the journalists doesn't decide to use this item at work, it is a great memento/decor for our rooms!

A newspaper, radio or magazine subscription

All journalists are subscribed to at least one paper of magazine. If they aren't their employer is. Being informed is our job and having as many sources as possible helps us and informs us. Reading more than one source also lessens bias, this is why we urge the public to find multiple reliable sources. There are always different angles to stories.

We would also be happy if you subscribed to a paper or magazine yourself! Radio and tv subscriptions are also a thing! You can buy a SiriusXM subscription or a Hulu subscription with shows like the Weekly by The New York Times, for example. Anything that supports our business means a lot.

A copy of a magazine

Not only do we watch the news or read newspapers, we also love to read magazine! Some use them for decor and others travel with them as they are great to read on the plane or in the car. You can get a magazine at the grocery store, a bookstore or online!