How Much Money Does a Broadcasting Journalist Make a Year?
Broadcast journalists are the personnel who write and convey stories in TV and radio. They research, investigate and gather information for stories before crafting text to be read on screen or over the airwaves. Broadcast journalism requires attention to detail and the ability to form engaging copy quickly. Individuals must ensure that their reports are concise, accurate and easily understood. Salary levels are comparable with those for journalists working in the print media.
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Average Pay
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Within the scope of its national survey of employment trends conducted in May 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics categorized broadcast journalists alongside their colleagues working in other media, such as print. It concluded that the mean annual salary across the profession was $43,780. This equates to an hourly pay rate of $21.05. Those among the highest 10 percent of earners achieved salaries in excess of $75,230, while those in the corresponding bottom bracket earned less than $19,970 per year. At the time of publication, Indeed.com put the average yearly pay for a broadcast journalist at $47,000.
Pay by Industry
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Of the categories detailed in the bureau's survey, broadcast journalists are most likely to work within either radio and television broadcasting, or cable and other subscription programming. The bureau listed the mean yearly salaries within these sectors of the journalistic industry as $53,590 and $59,800, respectively. Journalists may also work freelance, within the category of independent artists, writers and performers, which had a mean of $47,930.
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Pay by Location
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The bureau reported that for journalists of all kinds, wages in the United States were highest in the District of Columbia, with a yearly mean of $69,570. New Jersey and Massachusetts were comparatively lucrative states, with respective means of $61,890 and $60,590. California and Illinois were listed with similar pay rates of $47,340 and $46,590, respectively, as were Texas and Ohio, with respective means of $35,880 and $33,840. South Dakota was the state with the lowest wage levels, just $26,510 per year.
Outlook
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For journalists of all kinds, including broadcast specialists, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a decline in employment opportunities of around 6 percent during the decade from 2008 to 2018. This compares with a growth of between 7 percent and 13 percent across all occupations in the nation. The consolidation of media outlets will be the primary reason for this decline and competition for vacancies within large broadcasting companies is expected to be keen. New media, digital and online broadcasting may provide the most opportunities for journalists. However, in general, wage levels for the role are unlikely to rise significantly in the immediate future.
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References
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