after graduation, mackin obtained a position at the "baltimore news-american", and beginning as a general assignment reporter, she held a variety of positions before she left the paper in 1963. between 1960 and 1962, she made guest appearances on both a local baltimore tv news panel show and on a morning television variety show. from 1963 until 1969, mackin was employed by hearst newspapers in its washington bureau. during her six years at hearst, she covered the justice department, numerous elections, and presidential campaigns, polishing the talents that would make her a successful national news correspondent. in 1967, mackin became one of the earliest women to receive a nieman fellowship to harvard university, where she studied the history of political institutions.