mid-15c., "a written document," verbal noun from report (v.). By 1861 as "newspaper work involving gathering information and writing accounts for publication."
Entries linking to reporting
report v.
late 14c., "to make known, tell, relate," from Old French reporter "to tell, relate; bring back, carry away, hand over," from Latin reportare "carry back, bear back, bring back," figuratively "report," in Medieval Latin "write (an account) for information or record," from re- "back" (see re-) + portare "to carry" (from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over"). Early 15c. as "to submit" (to an authority, etc.). Meaning "to name someone as having offended somehow" is from 1885.