How would a paid journalism position look on college applications? Is it no more helpful than any regular job? Would it only boost your app if you were planning on majoring in English/Journalism?
Like most answers to most questions on CC, it depends. Which schools you are talking about is probably first.
If writing is something you are passionate about, it likely helps you. Unless of course you suck at it, and don’t get better.
Compared to “any regular job” - again it depends on what you mean by that. Many colleges only want to see that a prospective student is committed to what he/she has agreed to do.
A lot might go into how you describe the position, and what your actual responsibilities entailed. Calling it “paid journalism position” might mean you answered the phone to help people write obituaries or you handle circulation for the local bi-weekly newspaper with a total staff of 4 people (one of whom is your uncle), or it could be a research/investigative journalist support for a major metropolitan paper or national magazine.
If you can make it sound good, it will probably be helpful to you.