Broadcast Journalism Jobs
A broadcast journalist differs from a print journalist in that the report is seen and heard over the airwaves of radio and TV or streamed over the Internet, rather than written for a newspaper or magazine. The field of broadcasting has an array of jobs, the broadcast journalist being a small niche in this field---the one who gathers, reports and analyzes the news for on-the-air broadcasts. There are also other jobs in the field of broadcast journalism that are behind the camera.
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Education
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Earning a bachelor of arts in broadcasting, journalism or communications is the most common path for budding broadcast journalists. Broadcasting companies generally hire those who already have a degree and experience in the field. On-the-job training for entry-level positions is rare in this profession. The quickest way to get the experience before getting a job is to land an internship with a station. Working for a college radio or TV station also helps.
Environment
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The day-to-day life of a broadcast journalist is not suited for those who are shy or crave routine. Wallflowers need not apply. The hours are erratic and the locations always shift. The work is best suited for critical thinkers with good analytical and stress management skills. It is also a highly competitive business, as there is a certain glamor associated with broadcasting that makes for a big stack of resumes for every available job. Since most journalistic broadcasting happens live on-the-air, the reporter needs to be able to adapt quickly to changing situations, be it inside under studio lights or outside in a snowstorm.
Types
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The most well-known broadcast journalism jobs are the anchor and reporter on radio and TV news broadcasts. Next are the news analysts. These are the commentators, or pundits, that provide opinion on what the anchor and reporter report. Off-camera and off-microphone, the most important jobs are those of the producer, news director and assignment editor. A producer and news director guide the vision of the entire program, both technically and creatively and the assignment editor works with both of them to decide what stories are newsworthy enough to assign to reporters.
Considerations
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Though the term broadcast journalism implies news gathering and reporting on radio, TV and the Internet, there are other positions in the broadcast journalism field. Museums, schools, nonprofit organizations and corporations have mass media needs to fill in the form of public relations. These positions include announcers and research correspondents for videos and documentaries, as well as public relations specialists and production assistants. Many of the programs these organizations produce are similar to newscasts, so people with broadcast journalism backgrounds are desired.
Earnings
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Broadcast journalism careers usually begin at stations in lower-paying, smaller markets. Not surprisingly, there is a high turnover rate at smaller stations as employees move on to the the larger, higher paying markets in bigger cities. The latest available statistics from the U.S Bureau of Labor show an average hourly wage of between $12 and $45 an hour, depending on position, size of market and experience. Well-known network anchors and news analysts can command far greater salaries, sometimes reaching into the millions for national network anchors.
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