col‧umn‧ist /ˈkɒləməst, ˈkɒləmɪst, -ləmnəst $ ˈkɑː-/ noun [countable]
someone who writes articles, especially about a particular subject, that appear regularly in a newspaper or magazine

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

journalist someone who writes for a newspaper or magazine:
She worked as a journalist on the New York Times.
I've always wanted to be a journalist.
reporter someone whose job is to find out about news stories and ask questions for a newspaper, television or radio company etc:
A crowd of reporters were waiting outside the house all night.
He told reporters that he had no intention of resigning.
correspondent someone who writes news articles or does reports about a particular subject, especially a serious one, for a newspaper or news organization:
our economics correspondent
a war correspondent
He was the BBC's correspondent in Moscow.
columnist someone who writes articles, especially about a particular subject, that appear regularly in a newspaper or magazine:
an influential financial columnist
a gossip columnist
hack informal a disapproving word for a journalist, especially one whose work is of low quality:
The editor sent one of his hacks to interview the murderer’s girlfriend.
newsman/woman (also newspaperman/woman) a general word for someone who works for a newspaper, especially a reporter or editor:
an experienced newspaperman
the press newspapers and journalists in general:
The press always like a good story about the royal family.
the right-wing press
Fleet Street the British press. This phrase comes from the street in London, where many newspapers used to have their offices:
Relations between the government and Fleet Street aren't as cosy as they once were.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲