Over the last few years, a lot of
news-worthy things have happened in the world, causing most of us to frequent news channels and programmes. This introduced a whole new generation to
broadcast journalism and the excitement of being on the front line of breaking news.
If you dream of living a
Sky News,
ENCA, or
The Morning Show life, we can help.
media update's Alrika Möller list possible careers within the broadcast journalism industry here:
Researcher
When it comes to
big world events or just the news in general, most people use news broadcasters as their
first point of call. The
last thing you need is for them to have their
facts wrong.
That is where
researchers come in. They often work with a specific department such as sports, political news and the like to make sure that the news being reported is in fact the
truth. This is
especially important for interviews with guests or focus pieces.
For this career path, you will need to work your way up in the industry. Knowledge about a specific subject such as a degree in politics will definitely help your case.
Voiceover artist
Every time you watch a televised news brief or advertisement on a news channel, remember that there was a person in a
booth reading a script into a microphone. That is the
voiceover artist.
These artists might not be the most famous in the world of broadcast journalism, but they do play an important part in conveying important
information.
In order to land this
gig, you will need a portfolio of work and an agent with connections in the industry.
Scriptwriter
Every segment in the world of broadcast journalism, be it television or radio, has some sort of
script. These scripts are incredibly important when it comes to news or public service announcements, as you can have no place for
ambiguity or
improv.
Scriptwriters write these scripts to ensure that the
facts or
message are conveyed in the best way possible, to avoid any
confusion or
publicity nightmares. The facts and brief are provided for them.
A career in copywriting or a writing portfolio with some journalism and script pieces is the best way to get your foot in the door.
Teleprompter operator
As we previously discovered, broadcasters have scripts. They do not
memorise the scripts and sometimes things change
on the fly and the person on the screen needs to know what to say. That is why they use
teleprompters.
The
teleprompter operator handles
all the technical aspects and equipment of the teleprompter so that the lines appear on the screen for the person to read out loud. The operator works with a team in a
highly coordinated dance of tasks to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
This is a very
specialised and somewhat
niche job. The best way to get into it is through
internships that will allow you to train on the various equipment and then work your way up the teleprompting ladder.
Camera operator
Most news broadcasts use multiple cameras during a segment. This is mainly for the
dramatic effect you get when cameras change, zoom or pan out. This means that every segment needs a whole
film crew with multiple camera operators in order for things to run smoothly.
These operators work alongside the
lighting and
sound teams to create the product we see on our screens. With live broadcasts, editing is
not exactly possible, making the
camera operator that much more important.
Studying at a
film school and getting experience
behind the camera is the only way to reach this coveted position.
Broadcast engineer
These are the
highly intelligent,
incredibly important people that make it possible for the breaking news filmed on one side of the world, to appear on my screen in real time.
Broadcast engineers work with just about
every piece of technology needed in between the studio where the taping takes place and the
transmitter that sends the broadcast into the world.
The most common way to get into this form of work is to start out as an
electrical engineer and work your way into the world of broadcasting.
Broadcast journalist
This is the face or voice you know from your
favourite news programme!
Broadcast journalists are often the anchors, correspondents or reporters that provide us with the stories and information.
Due to their
key role in the broadcast, they often get involved in other facets of the broadcast if it is a
smaller programme.
Large productions and studios have a person for just about
anything.
Getting into this job is not the easiest thing in the world as some might see a
journalism degree as crucial while others might think that your ability to talk clearly and in an entertaining way might be a more important requirement.
The truth is,
however, a combination of the two. A journalism career will definitely assist in working your way up to the
big time news, as it is important to ask the
right questions and understand the topics you are reporting on. Being able to keep the audience engaged is a skill few can learn.
Have you ever considered a career in broadcast journalism? Let us know in the comments section below.
*Image courtesy of Canva