You’ll have to speak loudly and slowly enough for people to understand you, but quickly enough to cover everything you have to say in a given amount of time.
Unfortunately, it can go the other way – you may be incredibly attractive but may come off as lackluster on camera. Don’t think that your looks are a golden ticket to the profession.
You may not realize that many reporters and news anchors have to write and investigate their own stories, but this may actually be a large component of your job. If this is the case, then you’ll need to be able to talk to a variety of people who can give you access to the information you want.
If you’re prejudiced against certain people, they will be much less likely to open up to you.
You will have to be flexible. This is not a job for people who want to work 9-5 and then go home and kick their feet up. Think you can do it?
Taking a wide variety of liberal arts courses, such as political science or art history, will help you get more experience with a variety of subjects and will make you a more well-rounded reporter or anchor.
If your college does not have a local TV station, go for the local radio station. This will still give you some experience with interviewing others and speaking in an articulate manner.
Getting this experience will help improve your resume greatly. This is the kind of thing that will back up an impressive resume reel.
Additionally, going to journalism school can help you make valuable connections that may lead to jobs in the future.
Though news anchors most often read from their notes or from teleprompters (while improvising along the way), most reporters have to write their own copy for when they go in the field.
The best way to get your first resumé tape is to do one in school; otherwise it can be quite expensive.
Don’t just apply to the stations that are hiring. Send your tape and resumé absolutely everywhere that you can send it without being a nuisance. You never know when an opening will appear, and having your tape on the right person’s desk at the right time can increase your chances of getting that job.
Remember that the more experience you have, the more command you’ll have over where you can live and work. You may not have much control over your first job or two, but once you build up a reputation, you’ll have more success in applying for work at stations in more coveted locations.
You’ll also get the opportunity to make your mistakes. Audiences are much more forgiving in Mobile, Alabama than they are in New York City.
Also, if you start at a small market station, you will get small market pay. It’s the nature of the business. If making a lot of money in your career is important to you, don’t get into TV news! The anchors in the 25 biggest markets make around $130,000 a year, but these are very prestigious positions. [7] X Research source
Don’t think that working at the bigger stations, however, will let you be more flexible and to set your own hours more. Quite the contrary. The more prestigious your position, the more rigorous its demands will be.
If you don’t want to be negatively impacted by the news you share, then you may consider working in consumer, medical, or features news. They may be a little less exciting, but they’ll also be less emotionally draining.
Also “sweeps” months (when stations monitor how many people are watching) will be off limits for vacation time. These months include: February, May, July and November.
Not only will your schedule be demanding, but it may change at a moment’s notice. You’ll need to not only be available, but to be flexible.
Just remember that it can take a decade or longer to move past the traditional route of a TV reporter or news anchor.
If you’re also known for public outbursts, you’ll need to get that under control before you get behind the camera.
