Broadcast journalist

Broadcast journalists use their investigative minds and methods to find stories and bring them to the public quickly in a coherent and engaging way

As a broadcast journalist, you'll research, investigate and present news and current affairs content for television, radio and online. Your aim is to present information in a balanced, accurate and interesting way through news bulletins, documentaries and other factual programmes.

Most broadcast journalists are employed by a TV network, radio station, online news platform or production company.

Types of broadcast journalist

Broadcast journalists can occupy a number of roles within the media, including:

• editor
• reporter
• presenter or news anchor
• producer
• correspondent.

Responsibilities

As a broadcast journalist, you'll need to:

• generate ideas for stories and features and follow-up on leads from news agencies, the police, the public, press conferences and other sources
• pitch ideas to editors and commissioners
• research, verify and collate evidence and information to support a story using relevant information sources such as the internet, archives, databases, etc.
• write scripts for bulletins, headlines and reports
• select appropriate locations, pictures and sound and exercise editorial judgement on the best angle from which to approach a story
• identify necessary resources and deploy and manage technical crews for location shoots, including sound operators and camera crew
• provide directorial input, advising crews on what to film or record
• use portable digital video (DV) cameras and other equipment to record material
• produce complete packages for broadcast
• prepare and present material on air for pre-recorded and live pieces
• identify potential interviewees, brief them, prepare interview questions and conduct live and recorded interviews
• prepare timings for each news item and monitor these during broadcast
• decide on the running order for bulletins and making any necessary changes during broadcast
• collaborate with the editor to put together the completed item
• develop and maintain local contacts, assuming a public relations role
• understand and comply with media law and industry codes of conduct.

Salary

• Starting salaries vary significantly between local and national broadcasters but can start from around £23,000.
• With several years' experience in a more senior position, you can earn up to £42,000, potentially rising to £80,000.
• A small number of very experienced and high-profile journalists in television earn significantly higher salaries.

Wages vary according to the employer and the location.

Pay tends to be higher in television than radio. Independent local radio posts tend to offer the lowest starting salaries.

Additional allowances may be paid for shift work and unsocial hours, and a London weighting may be available. Freelance reporters often have individually negotiated contracts.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Working hours typically include regular unsocial hours. Shift work is common, starting early to cover regional news on breakfast radio and television shows or working mid-morning until late evening for afternoon and evening bulletins. Weekend work is often required and most broadcasters do not take public holidays.

On-air presenters are less likely to go out on location to cover stories and their working hours may be more predictable.

What to expect

• The media can be an uncertain industry in terms of job security, and people are often employed on short-term contracts. Many broadcast journalists are freelance and may have to relocate or travel according to the availability of work.
• Diversity in the media is still an issue. Initiatives such as BBC Extend, Creative Diversity Network, Journalism Diversity Fund and the George Viner Memorial Fund are working to address this imbalance.
• Job opportunities can be found across the UK. Work for network stations tends to be in London or regionally based. There are usually more opportunities at local level, through regional stations. Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) and online media have created many new opportunities across radio and television.
• The work can be stressful. Broadcast journalism involves working to strict deadlines and you’ll need to react quickly when a story breaks. The work sometimes involves interacting with people at moments of crisis or tragedy, which can be emotionally challenging.
• There is frequent travel within a working day and absence from home at night. Overseas work or travel is occasional but more common for specialist correspondents.

Qualifications

There are three main entry routes into broadcast journalism:

• direct entry into a traineeship
• moving across from print journalism (usually for those with several years of experience)
• 'pre-entry' by completing an accredited degree or postgraduate qualification.

Although this area of work is open to all graduates, a degree in one of these subjects may increase your chances, particularly if you wish to pursue a career as a special correspondent:

• business
• economics
• finance
• government
• journalism
• politics.

The industry is divided over the value of general media studies degrees, so it is worth investigating which courses have industry recognition or recommendation and studying the success rates of their alumni.

Details of relevant courses can be obtained from the following accrediting bodies:

• Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC)
• National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ)

Postgraduate entry is the most common route into this profession. The BJTC and NCTJ also accredit postgraduate courses that offer both theoretical and practical training. Search postgraduate courses in journalism.

Information about funding for postgraduate study is available from the BJTC.

The media has introduced several initiatives to encourage applications from traditionally under-represented groups, such as the Journalism Diversity Fund. Support is available for those who may not have studied in higher education. Details of many schemes are available through the Creative Diversity Network.

Two postgraduate bursaries are available from the Guardian Media Group's The Scott Trust Bursary Scheme, a programme that encourages graduates from diverse social and/or ethnic backgrounds to apply.

Skills

You'll need to show evidence of the following:

• an interest in people, news, current affairs and good general knowledge
• excellent written and oral communication skills
• confidence in front of a camera and an 'on air' presence
• an understanding of relevant technical equipment and editing software
• the ability to work under pressure, both within teams and individually
• outstanding analytical skills and ability to absorb, extract and present information in a clear and understandable way
• the ability to build rapport and to handle interactions with sensitivity, empathy and diplomacy, while maintaining impartiality
• excellent interviewing and listening skills
• an eye for a story, with an ability to generate original ideas and the confidence to pitch to senior editors
• tenacity, persistence, resourcefulness and creative problem-solving skills.

Language skills may be an advantage for certain roles.

Work experience

Work experience is a vital step to starting your career as a journalist. Small, sponsored news traineeship schemes are run by regional news and both the BBC and ITV .

Competition for both traineeships and work placements at larger network stations is fierce.

As well as applying via recruitment departments, try contacting individual editors or producers directly at local stations. Local press, hospital radio and community media (Community Media Association) are excellent training grounds, as is any involvement in student media (largely magazine, newspaper or radio).

Applications, even for work experience, will be stronger if accompanied by demo tapes or cuttings, and student media is an ideal place to start building a portfolio. Make yourself known to as many people as possible and always be flexible and available. Be proactive too, by volunteering to get involved wherever you can.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

Employers of broadcast journalists include all the major broadcast organisations such as the BBC, Channel 4, ITN, ITV and CNN.

Competition for jobs with network broadcasters is extremely tough. However, digital broadcasting has created new openings for broadcast journalists, with 24-hour news channels, niche programming and increased opportunities in ethnic broadcasting.

Employers from the radio sector include BBC national and regional stations, as well as local and national commercial radio stations.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Bauer Media
• BBC Jobs
• The Guardian Jobs
• Hold the Front Page
• ITV Jobs
• Journalism.co.uk
• Press Gazette
• Radio Today

A small number of recruitment agencies such as Media Contacts specialise in journalism. Some presenters may use an agent.

Professional development

If you've completed an accredited course, you'll be expected to have completed the necessary basic training.

For those who have not come via this route, gaining an understanding of media law and health and safety is normally considered an immediate training need.

A substantial amount of training will be informal and 'on the job'. It's usual for trainee journalists to initially be assigned basic tasks such as working autocues and fetching tapes and gaining a general insight into the whole process, before they move into more specific and responsible roles.

As budgets are stretched, multi-skilling is becoming more necessary. Many broadcast journalists find that they are now responsible for recording and editing their own footage. Acquiring knowledge and understanding of technical equipment and the relevant software is currently a key training need. Many employers will therefore require and support training in these areas.

The media is a fast-paced, evolving industry. Its professional bodies recognise the need to support journalists in their continuing professional development (CPD) in order to stay ahead of the game. Find out more from:

• ScreenSkills
• National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ)
• National Union of Journalists (NUJ)

Short courses include negotiating contracts, public relations, sub-editing, interviewing skills, as well as new technologies.

Career prospects

Broadcast journalists who start in television will often begin as newsroom assistants or researchers before moving into a reporting role.

As you gain more experience, there is scope to specialise in different areas. You may choose to focus on pursuing a senior broadcast journalist role, with responsibility for managing news staff and budgets, or you may prefer to become a studio-based news anchor or presenter.

There is the possibility of becoming a correspondent, although these positions are highly coveted and rarely become available.

Investigative journalism or documentary journalism can be suitable career-development alternatives. Those who wish to move behind the scenes may become programme editors, sub-editors or producers.

Radio differs slightly in that trainees are normally given greater responsibility earlier on. Depending on the size of the station, they may even find that they have sole responsibility for a newsroom from the outset.

Progression is typically to positions at larger commercial or network stations, or across into television.