Spot papers recruiting journo for fanciful plan (4,5)
I believe the answer is:
pipe dream
'fanciful plan' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'spot papers recruiting journo' is the wordplay.
'spot' becomes 'pip' (both can mean a small amount).
'papers' becomes 'ream' (a ream is a large amount of paper).
'recruiting' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters are recruited into the word).
'journo' becomes 'ed' (I've seen this in other clues).
'pip'+'ream'='pipream'
'pipream' placed around 'ed' is 'PIPE-DREAM'.
'for' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for pipe dream that I've seen before include "Fantasy" , "castle in Spain?" , "Fantastic but vain hope" , "Fanciful or impossible plan" , "Unrealistic aspiration" .)