Preparing yourself for a news anchor career?
Or looking for a guide that will showcase the nitty-gritties of the news anchor job?
In a generation where people have grown seeing sauve, gritty or aggressive news reporters on Primetime news channels taking up issues of the common people and questioning people in authority and exposing their misdeeds, no wonder news reporter jobs are the most sought after career options by young people nowadays.
However, there are certain factors that one should be aware of before stepping into the career path, and therefore, if you are looking for one that can provide you with a news anchor job template, continue reading the article then as we share more.
What is a News Anchor?
Also known as news analysts, news anchors are journalists who present news on television, radio, and broadcasts.
Using their public speaking skills, news anchors deliver concise and accurate news to their audience. They are the anchors that hold the news program together and maintain the continuity between the segments of programs. They broadcast the videotaped stories delivered by their field reporters, select news, analyze the stories, and interview guests.
What does a news anchor do?
Now one may wonder, a news anchor may typically interpret stories from a teleprompter and analyze news or interview guests. However, a news anchor workload is much more demanding than it seems.
Mentioned down below are some chief duties that a news anchor has to shoulder.
- Researching about current news (local community, state, national and international)
- Analyze and choose news stories that need to be reported based upon the reliability of the source and audience preference.
- Organize and prepare the stories logically and engagingly.
News anchor job duties include
Taking part in provisional meetings
Taking place once a week, the objective of the meeting is to plan the reporting segments and anticipate future events. The meeting is usually attended by the team of the news channel. All stories are examined, selected, or rejected based upon reliability and preference. The elected stories are then added to the newsroom’s agenda.
Attending newsroom meetings
This meeting takes place 6-8 hours before a newscast takes place. The meeting starts with reviewing the stories lined up for broadcasting, and the plan is changed accordingly. Then, the attendees share their points of view, and the news anchor’s job is to select from which angle the stories will be broadcast.
Playing an active role in the preparatory meeting
After the newsroom meeting, this meeting takes place 2-4 hours before the newscast. The news anchor, along with the director and the other members, determines the show’s rundown.
Participating in debriefing
Debriefing takes place just after the newscast. This meeting takes place to review the strength and weaknesses of the rundown and what else could be improved in the next broadcast. The entire broadcast is discussed in detail, mistakes are minutely reviewed, and solutions are provided accordingly.
Job brief for a News Anchor
The ideal job brief for the news anchor position consists of the need for an enthusiastic news anchor who is willing to participate in the creative cycle of the news broadcast system.
The news anchor career entails working with other fellow anchors, reporters, directors and will be responsible for accumulating the information, analyzing it, broadcasting the stories to the audience, and even interviewing the guests.
The ideal news anchor must follow the current events and present the stories to the audience in an engaging, concise, and unbiased manner.
Responsibilities of a News Anchor
The generic responsibilities that come with the news anchor job are as follows:-
- Researching about the current events taking place in the world.
- Presenting the news to the audience in an engaging and analytical manner
- Regular meetings with other news anchors, reporters, and news directors and briefed about the day’s proceedings.
- Writing, preparing, and revising scripts to deliver them on-air.
- Making sure the latest breaking news is delivered to the audience.
- Engaging in meaningful conversation with news correspondents when they are delivering stories
- Keeping abreast with the latest news development.
- Interviewing individuals
- Complying with the moral code of journalism.
Requirements for the News Anchor job
The news anchor job is considered as one of the most coveted position,s and therefore there are certain requirements that the news channels search for in their potential candidates
- Obtaining a BSc degree in the field of journalism, communication, or any other relevant field
- Having proven work experience as a news anchor (Some news channels also offer internships to competent candidates)
- Having a basic understanding of the newscast process.
- Having a broad knowledge of current affairs
- Having a comfortable yet professional presence on camera.
- Ability to improvise
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Must be an excellent team player and should be comfortable with a flexible work schedule
- Should have the ability to work under deadlines and stressful situations.
- Must have an active social media presence.
Average salary for a News Anchor
In the Gulf region, particularly in countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait, the average annual salary for news anchors ranges from approximately AED 120,000 to AED 300,000. Salaries can vary based on experience, the media organization, and the anchor's reputation.
City-wise Comparison
The following table summarizes the average salaries for news anchors in major cities across the Gulf region:
| City | Average Salary (per annum) |
|---|---|
| Dubai | AED 250,000 |
| Abu Dhabi | AED 230,000 |
| Riyadh | SAR 240,000 |
| Jeddah | SAR 220,000 |
| Doha | QAR 200,000 |
| Kuwait City | KWD 18,000 |
Industry-wise Comparison
News anchor salaries also vary across different sectors within the media industry. The following table provides an overview:
| Industry | Average Salary (AED per annum) |
|---|---|
| Broadcast News | 250,000 |
| Digital Media | 230,000 |
| Print Media | 200,000 |
| Entertainment Channels | 220,000 |
Salaries in broadcast news tend to be higher due to the competitive nature of television journalism.
Top Companies and Salaries
The following table highlights some of the top companies hiring news anchors in the Gulf region along with their average salary offerings:
| Company | Average Salary (per annum) |
|---|---|
| Al Jazeera | AED 300,000 |
| Dubai Media Incorporated | AED 250,000 |
| Saudi Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) | SAR 240,000 |
| Qatar TV | QAR 220,000 |
| Abu Dhabi Media | AED 230,000 |
These salaries reflect competitive pay rates in the broadcasting industry within the Gulf region.
Salary Progression
- Entry-Level News Anchor: Average salary of AED 120,000 - AED 180,000.
- Mid-Level News Anchor: Typically earns between AED 180,000 - AED 240,000.
- Senior News Anchor: Average salary ranges from AED 240,000 - AED 300,000.
- Top-Level News Anchor: Can earn between AED 300,000 - AED 400,000, depending on experience and reputation.
Working as a news anchor in the Gulf region offers varied salary prospects based on geographical location and industry sector. There are clear pathways for career advancement leading to higher earning potential over time.
Key skills
Apart from the basic requirements that an aspiring news anchor should meet, it is essential to acknowledge that the competition during news anchor recruitment is fierce.
Therefore, to stand out, mentioned below are a few skills that will help you excel in the news anchor career.
- One should have excellent verbal communication skills. The better the ability to explain a story to the viewers, the higher are the chances of the TRP increasing for the broadcast.
- As a news anchor, one should be an excellent speaker and be an active listener. Being an active listener is imperative as it is required to communicate with reporters and your other sources on air.
- News anchors should have proficient writing and editing skills. If your start is from one of the news reporter jobs, then writing becomes an integral part of the process. Moreover, news anchors are responsible for writing and editing the stories they are covering and even producing the scripts of the broadcast.
- A news anchor must have excellent reading comprehension ability. As a news anchor, you would be having to encounter plenty of reading materials and therefore, you must be able to easily comprehend and understand them.
- The ability to improvise is another skill that a news anchor should definitely possess. Occurrences of unexpected events are common in broadcasts and a news anchor should be able to quickly respond to the events adequately.
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Why pursue a career in news anchoring?
As mentioned earlier, a career in news anchoring is considered as one of the most coveted positions. According to the Beaure of Labour Statistics (BLS), a news anchor career is one of the most sought-after jobs by the youth of today.
A news anchor helps in broadcasting different stories in front of their audience and can question the people in authority and bring the grievances and plights of ordinary people into the light.
News anchors are the face of a news channel and are highly respected for the glamour and the sense of authority they exude. No wonder, they are one of the potential candidates behind the TRPs that a show garners.
How to become a news anchor?
Obtaining a news anchor job requires personality, knowledge, and determination, and therefore to become a news anchor, here is a quick breakdown.
- Obtain a degree (journalism or mass communication)
- Hone your public speaking and other interpersonal skills
- Gain work experience. Enroll yourself in internship programs to gain exposure and experience.
- Create resume tapes of your news anchoring and send them out to your desired news channels.
- Most importantly, prepare yourself for the role of a news anchor.
Now there you go, everything you need to know about the news anchor job. The competition for a news anchor job is fierce, and therefore, to sustain yourself in the profession, you need to have the required skills and knowledge. Therefore, prepare yourself for the role and work towards the goal accordingly.
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