Hired lease by journalist (9)
I believe the answer is:
chartered
'hired' is the definition.
(I know that hired can be written as chartered)
'lease by journalist' is the wordplay.
'lease' becomes 'charter' (synonyms).
'by' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'journalist' becomes 'ed' (short for editor).
'charter'+'ed'='CHARTERED'
(Other definitions for chartered that I've seen before include "Professionally qualified - not scheduled" , "Engaged" , "Hired, a boat perhaps, for exclusive use" , "Hired privately" , "Leased" .)