Tended to pay for journalist (7)
I believe the answer is:
treated
'tended' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with social activities as well as being past participle verbs.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'pay for journalist' is the wordplay.
'pay for' becomes 'treat' (I've seen this in another clue).
'journalist' becomes 'ed' (short for editor).
'treat'+'ed'='TREATED'
'to' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for treated that I've seen before include "Applied medication to" , "Dealt with" , "Given medical attention" , "Doctored" , "Attended to" .)