Chop; journalist (4)
I believe the answer is:
hack
I believe this clue is a double definition.
'chop' is the first definition.
(I know that chop can be written as hack)
'journalist' is the second definition.
(hack can informally mean a journalist)
(Other definitions for hack that I've seen before include "Kick on the shins" , "jade" , "Drudge, inferior writer" , "Break into computer system" , "Writer of uninspiring stuff" .)