How to get a TV Reporter Job
Working as a broadcast television reporter can be thrilling for journalists who enjoy being in front of the camera. Being recognized by other people living in your community is very flattering, and TV reporters are recognized and praised very frequently. The people who are watching the news shows can sometimes feel as though they “know” TV reporters because they see them each day, sharing tidbits of important information. It is challenging to become a TV reporter because there are many competitors for jobs. People who want to work as TV reporters should have good writing skills, good speaking skills, and post-secondary education in media studies.
Broadcast journalism is very different than Print journalism. Magazine and newspaper writers have much more leeway to expand on a story in depth. Broadcast journalists must limit their news clips to about two minutes per story on average. Two minutes may not seem like a lot of time in which to share details of a situation, but good broadcast journalists can do it. Broadcast journalists need to choose words that will deliver the information in a matter of fact way, quickly and cleanly. People who aspire to work as TV reporters should first try their hands at working in the radio industry. Working in the radio industry is good practice for television because a broadcaster’s voice needs to be trained to sound like other broadcasters on the air.
Having a pleasing voice is very important for broadcast reporters. Viewers and listeners do not want to hear voices that are monotone and uninteresting. The tone of voice and the vocal delivery of a news message are factors that trigger people in to watching and listening to a story. People who are serious about becoming TV reporters should do anything they can to involve themselves in public speaking opportunities. The more practice a person has at speaking to audiences the better they will be at it. Public speaking clubs such as Toastmasters, and Rostrum, provide opportunities for members to practice making presentations in front of each other, as well as provide training and feedback.
Participating in theatre drama can also be helpful for aspiring TV reporters because different news stories need to be broadcasted in various vocal tones. For example, when a broadcast reporter is reporting a tragic story, their tone and facial expressions need to match the story by sounding and looking grave and serious. When there is a cheerful and heartwarming story to report on, the reporter’s voice and facial expressions need to sound and look uplifting. Having some acting experience can give an aspiring television reporter an edge over their competitors who are not the best at conveying their emotions.
Few people may know this, but TV reporters are responsible for writing their own news clips. It is rare that producers and directors will write news scripts for the reporters. Broadcast writing needs to be formatted very specifically; there are rules, dos, and don’ts for broadcast writing. Broadcasters need to write their stories in the present tense, while newspaper and print journalists write their stories in the past tense. Anyone who wants to be a TV reporter MUST know how to write for broadcasting. Studying journalism in a college or university is the best path for aspiring TV reporters to learn what they need to know about writing for television news or entertainment news. Journalism courses will teach students how to properly write, how to do stand-ups (the part of the story when the reporter is speaking directly to the camera, usually to sum it up), bridges (similar to the stand-up, but it is a piece shown in the middle of the story to connect the upcoming information), and live interviews. News directors and producers will expect that any TV reporters hired will know how to do all of these things.
Building a solid portfolio of television reporting experience will also help aspiring TV reporters get the jobs they want. Journalism courses taught at colleges and universities will provide workshops and opportunities for students to have experience on camera, usually at the schools’ studios. Volunteering to work as reporters at community news channel stations can also be very helpful to aspiring TV reporters. Even though most community channels do not pay the reporters, the stations provide many hands-on learning opportunities. The Internet can also play a vital role in building a broadcasting portfolio. People who want to become TV reporters do not need to wait for networks to hire them. Many people have launched their own Internet channels and shows via YouTube and other websites such as ThatChannel.com. Making a career work as a television reporter is definitely doable as long as aspiring TV reporters are aware of what is needed to turn their career dreams in to a reality.
