Journalist has a cough (4)
I believe the answer is:
hack
This clue is a double definition.
'journalist' is the first definition.
(thesaurus)
'a cough' is the second definition.
(thesaurus)
'has' is the link.
(Other definitions for hack that I've seen before include "Wildly kick; dull writer" , "Chop - reporter" , "get information illegally" , "Kick on the shins" , "Ride" .)