North-east journalists required (6)
I believe the answer is:
needed
'required' is the definition.
(I know that required can be written as needed)
'north-east journalists' is the wordplay.
'north east' becomes 'ne'.
'journalists' becomes 'eded'.
'ne'+'eded'='NEEDED'
(Other definitions for needed that I've seen before include "Obligatory" , "Essential; called for" , "Required something essential" , "'Lacked, required (6)'" , "Required; sounds like worked (dough)" .)