Things to keep in mind before starting career as a news anchor

Gauranshi Srivastava

One of the most flourishing and rapidly expanding field is that of media and mass communication and there are so many new, creative and attractive careers emerging from this industry. One such career is that of a News or a TV Anchor. If you desire to become a News or TV Anchor and wish to acquire important information regarding the same to help you decide about this career, read on.

 Education requirements

A bachelor's degree in journalism, communications or a related field is generally the first step in becoming a news anchor. These 3-year degree programmes include coursework in media ethics, editorial writing, visual technology and investigative reporting. Students may also take classes in broadcast journalism and public speaking to hone their oral and communications skills. To gain practical experience, students may write for their school newspapers and seek jobs or internships with local news or broadcasting companies.

 Hone your skills

Some anchors are also required to write news stories themselves. Great TV news anchors are articulate and have excellent written and verbal communication skills. Many start out as news writers for their school newspaper, or major in a relevant field. Regardless of your background, putting in the hard work and continuously focusing your craft to sharpen your writing and presentation skills will make you a valuable asset for any news channel.

 On job responsibilities

While on the job, TV anchors have to maintain coherence in presenting the news and in doing so edits or reviews pieces, ask questions to correspondents and maintains a link between news presentations. The news clips also need to be customised so as to fit into dedicated time slots, and relevant news has to be constantly aired.

TV anchors do require certain niche skills, including being up to date with current developments and having a strong network with the right people across sectors in order to bring them to the studio for meaningful discourses. Highly imperative is for them to be natural speakers with a quick wit to handle the dynamic atmosphere in a news studio. Anchors also constantly communicate with editors through their earpiece.

 Be ready for long hours

Since the news is on a never-ending cycle of daily content, news anchors work long hours and must often meet crazy deadlines to produce quality news broadcasts. This job type requires stamina and endurance. In order to make it in the industry, you must be hungry for new stories and ideas, deal with the unpredictable nature of the news, while also meeting deadlines on time.

Skills and qualifications

Skilled in making news reports clear, accurate, and engaging, news anchors have a strong background in communications or broadcasting. They usually have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a communications field and some experience working as a reporter or presenter. Employers seeking news anchors also look for these skills:

 . Reporting – whether writing a story or telling it on the air, news anchors report the news clearly and accurately in a way that engages the audience and provides a thorough account of the story or event

. Interviewing – to prepare for interviews thoroughly and conduct the process confidently, news reporters understand interviewing techniques that make interviewees comfortable and willing to answer their questions

.Technical skills – since they use computers and electronic equipment to research, write, and report stories, news reporters know how to use software, social media websites, and audio equipment

. Research skills – they know where to find reliable information to support their stories and how to evaluate sources to determine if they have biased or misleading content

. Communication skills – writing stories, interacting with guests, and telling the news on the air require clear and effective communication

 Salary structure

The job prospects in media are increasing with a sharp increase in the number of news channels and an influx of foreign channels. An average TV anchor in India earns around Rs 4.5 lakh per annum. Of course, the pay varies from firm to firm and with experience. It is common for salaries to go up to Rs 12 lakh per annum if the TV anchor earns his name in the field. However, since one has to start out as a regular reporter, in the initial stages the salary would be lower (depending upon the placements of your college).

 Conclusion

TV anchoring is journalism at its glamorous best. TV anchors are the stars and role models of the journalism world. There is also a need for trained professionals to enter the media world with the increase in the number of 24-hour news channels. The job is no doubt very exciting and well paying.

However, it requires years of hard work and dedication to become a TV anchor in the first place. One needs to start early, gather experience and build an impressive portfolio. As a professional, you might have little time for personal life and will be expected to commit hours hunting after the news. But for those who like the taste of a fast-paced life, this is a rewarding career.

The writer is a professional news anchor at Total TV

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