When you think of a broadcast journalist, you probably think of the flashy newscasters of CNN and Fox News, reporting on current events and world affairs.
These are just some of the duties of a broadcast journalist, but there’s more to it than that. A lot more.
A broadcast journalist shares stories and information with the public through television, radio, or other media.
It’s an exciting job that allows you to talk to people from all walks of life and exposes you to different aspects of the world daily.
Suppose you want to succeed in this position. It’s essential to have excellent oral communication skills, research abilities, writing skills, and perhaps most importantly, a deep interest in sharing your stories with others.
Stick around to learn how much they make, their salary range, how much education they need to qualify as one, and how you can become a broadcast journalist.
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What Does a Broadcast Journalist Do (Overview)
Broadcast journalism is the umbrella term for what most people recognize as TV or radio news reporting.
Broadcast journalists gather facts about current events from reliable sources, brainstorm the best story angles for the occasion, and interview experts on related topics.
Radio broadcasters are typically responsible for reading the news on-air in front of an audience listening live.
TV broadcasters work behind the scenes with all sorts of camera equipment to bring stories to life with appropriate visuals. In this role, it’s also essential to work closely with camera operators to tell compelling stories in both sound and images.
Broadcast Journalist Job Duties
The following are the duties and responsibilities of a broadcast journalist.
- Serve as an information source to the public by gathering, analyzing, and interpreting news items of local or national interest.
- Report on live breaking news events or provide commentary on one’s interpretation of a newsworthy event.
- Coordinate or prepare daily newscasts with station personnel, including writing scripts for broadcasts
- Participate in pre-broadcast meetings to discuss content for newscasts
- Work with station managers to select material from wire services such as Reuters (including stock reports)
- Interview guests, such as experts in particular fields
- Cover planned events such as press conferences
- Perform other related tasks as assigned
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Education Requirements
To be considered for a position as a broadcast journalist, you need at least one year of journalistic experience.
You will also be required to take several industry-standard exams to ensure your knowledge in the field is up-to-date.
One of these exams is the Certified Broadcast Journalists’ Examination (CBJ).
To graduate from CBJ, you’ll need to score at least 40% on each exam, which is not hard when you’ve learned the curriculum inside and out.
The broadcast journalism department offers both an online and a traditional education program that teaches students how to use equipment like TV cameras, newscasts filming, and audio recording tools.
Broadcast Journalist Skills
As a broadcast journalist, you have to possess the following skills
Research Skills
Ability to find and gather information on events or topics through researching sources such as websites, books, interviews with experts in the field, and data analysis.
Writing Skills
Ability to summarize information or content from sources such as newspaper articles or speeches.
Broadcasting Skills
Ability to use voice talent for broadcasting audio over radio or television.
Field Reporting Skills
Ability to report from locations without relying on others’ reports.
Strong organizational skills and ability to multitask efficiently.
Broadcast Journalist’s Salary
A broadcast journalist’s salary is typically dependent on the experience level.
For entry-level positions (mostly writing and shooting), salaries may range from $38k to $55k.
The base salary increases to $65k with 2-3 years of experience before changing to around $88k with more than five years of experience.
Vice presidents or directors can expect to earn around $100k.
How to Become a Broadcast Journalist
To become a broadcast journalist, you first need to be an amateur or student.
You may consider joining an amateur organization like your high school TV club or your university’s journalism club.
If you join an amateuristic group, you can get experience producing videos or live news.
If you think broadcasting is the industry for you and want to get paid for it, then it’s time to start working on your degree in communications.
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Conclusion
It’s easy to see that being a broadcast journalist is not an easy job.
With the election coming up in November, we can look forward to increased coverage on all major news channels.
But despite the challenges it may present to some people, many find great joy in pursuing this rewarding career.