Intelligence: to be able to understand complex issues.
Knowledge: broad general knowledge and experience in order to understand a number of different areas and have the ability to go from one area to another easily.
Effective: the ability to get things done; work under pressure; work well with others under pressure; be well organized.
Curiosity: the need to be curious enough to go beyond the surface; look at things in a questioning manner; to seek information to find out about people, events, activities and to understand them; to be skeptical at times.
Comprehension: the ability to analyze information, sort the important from the unimportant; understand what you're writing about.
Judgment: gather information and learn to sort the important from the unimportant effectively; be able to weed out information, determining what readers need to know, what will make a complete, accurate article.
Persistent: knowing when to continue to seek or push for information, when to give up; the need to be energetic; not stopping just because someone says "no" (remember reporters Woodward and Bernstein and the obstacles they encountered unraveling the Watergate scandal, which forced the resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1974).
Literacy: grammatical skills; reading ability coupled with comprehension; acceptable writing skills.
Motivation: the drive to work beyond the normal 8-hour day; journalists must cover the story when it occurs; news is a perishable commodity.
Personal Stability: keeping your head when the world around seems to be falling apart; ability to remain professional and do the job even though you may be witnessing unpleasantness. One still-famous example is the radio reporter who was broadcasting when a large dirigible (blimp), the Hindenburg, exploded just before landing in 1937 in New Jersey. Although emotional, he kept reporting. In addition, the more stable you are, the more apt you are to treat people fairly and write objectively.
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