How to Become a News Presenter: A Glamorous Job

How to become a news presenter

Being a TV reporter/anchor takes sacrifice. On the surface it seems like a glamorous job but those who have worked in the industry know it is just the opposite.

There is, however, no other job like it in the world. If you like deadline pressure, doing something new every day and making a difference it may be the job for you. At the end of the day you will be proud of yourself and sometimes encourage young people to work together.

If you want to start at a small market television station:
Everyone has visions of taking over the BBC anchor desk, but the truth of the matter is a tiny portion of people who get into the TV news business will ever make it to a top 10 market. It's a good idea to start your career in a small market because you can learn all aspects of the business. You will likely do everything like; report, produce, anchor, shoot video, edit and maybe even run the teleprompter with your foot! You'll also get the opportunity to find your mistakes.

Be willing to get little part least in the beginning of your career:
The average reporter job in a small market gets paid between 25,000 and 1,50,000 Tk. per month. Shocked right? Contrary to popular belief most TV personalities are not rolling in dough. Television news is a field where the supply outweighs the demand. Basically there are more people who want to be on TV than the available positions. That's a part of the reason why pay is not competitive. 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!

Forget about holidays at home:
The truth is you will hardly ever get holidays off. You will most likely be working. Established main anchors at TV stations will most likely get holidays off which means you will be stuck at work. If you constantly move markets every couple of years to increase your salary and experience you will always be the new kid on the block, which means you won't have seniority. So, you can kiss Thanksgiving, Eid Holiday, Christmas, New Year's, Summer Vacation and Labor Day goodbye. 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.

Be willing to move anywhere to get your first job:
Jobs are so competitive that you can't be choosy when landing your first job. Sure, you may want to hold out for any area offers you your first job you should probably say yes.

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Account BenefitAcademic degree:
Most TV stations require that you have a academic degree preferably in broadcast journalism. There are many training institutes in Bangladesh like National Institute of Mass Communication (NIMC), Bangladesh Institute of Journalism & Electronic Media (BIJEM), BCJA, Jobs A1 etc. Go there for better learning!

Learn how to speak well:
Your voice is the key in this field. You should concentrate now on projection, enunciation and inflection. All of these things will help you deliver your 'script' in a compelling nature. Be authoritative in your speech. This will give you credibility with your audience. Read newspapers and magazines aloud. Listen to the best journalists in the field when they speak and try to emulate them.

Learn how to write for TV:
You of course learn some of this in school. Writing for TV is very different from writing a term paper. You need to learn how to write to the images your audience will see on TV. It's called writing to video. Also, you should keep writing simple and stay away from legalese and clichés. You have only one shot to get the attention of folks at home.

Be willing to work all the time:
You may be placed on the morning shift, the evening shift, a split shift and the weekend shift at any given moment. New reporters especially have very little say in the hours they work. Working overtime is very common and few stations pay overtime.

Create a resume tape:
A resume tape is a reel that shows a sample of your reporting/anchoring skills. It usually starts with a slate- a brief showing of your name and contact information. The slate is usually followed by a montage, which is a short segment of compelling live shots, samples of reporting and anchoring. The montage is then followed by three of your best stories. The best way to get your first resume tape is to do one in school otherwise it can be quite expensive. When your tape is done you send it on DVD format along with a cover letter and resume to news directors at the stations you are interested in. Then, you wait and cross your fingers.

Be Persistent:
Don't stop until you get that first job! Persistence is an invaluable skill any reporter/anchor should have.