In broad terms, people employed in broadcast journalism research, write, and present news and stories. They do so in a manner adapted to the audience that listens and watches the news and stories. Their main task is not only to inform but also to engage the audience. 

However, this rarely means that a single person is responsible for every stage of broadcasting. As you’ll learn in this overview, broadcast journalism careers are quite diverse, depending on the job you’re most interested in. 

Duties 

Duties generally depend on your role. Are you a researcher, video editor, or news presenter? You can occupy many roles, but your main duty will be to follow the editors’ and directors’ guidelines. Their main job is to choose the type of content and oversee the entire process by ensuring that all pieces of the puzzle fit together perfectly. Aside from following the guidelines, your main duty is to contribute to building compelling broadcasting content. 

Types of Broadcast Journalism Jobs

As is the case with every type of journalism, the process behind a news story can be a long one. Unless you’re working entirely on your own (working online with smaller audiences), your job will likely be just another step in the broadcasting process. Many veterans in the industry note that it’s best to think of broadcasting as an orchestra; each piece in the process has a specific role and impact on the final product. Let’s see which jobs in broadcast would fit you the most. 

Writing, Reporting, and Editing: Fundamental Careers in Journalism and Broadcasting

These three are the essence of journalism, including broadcast journalism. Before the news story is presented, it has to be researched, put in writing, and edited. Usually, the editor will assign a story to a journalist, who will then do necessary research (including field research). If necessary, field footage will be made (both video and audio). 

In large broadcasting companies, it’s not unusual for several journalists to work on a single story along with the reporter who will present the story. Editors are there to follow the development of the story they’ve assigned and make sure it fits the original idea. It’s important to note that broadcast journalism jobs are not jobs for broadcast journalism majors only, as they are often similar to traditional jobs in journalism. 

Broadcast Engineers

Broadcasting doesn’t only depend on journalists. Both in television and radio broadcasting, broadcast engineers are necessary for media outlets. Their job is to take care of the technical aspect of broadcasting, especially when it comes to live broadcasting. They need to be formally educated engineers with at least some experience in the field. 

But as many experts note, it’s difficult to find an engineer with actual broadcasting experience. Being a broadcast engineer is one of the jobs related to broadcast journalism that certainly pays off. In fact, because they’re so rare, they’re often paid even more than journalists and reporters.  

Field Reporters and News Anchors 

Field reporting is what many young journalists have in mind when they first start their education. This is hardly surprising as the history of broadcast journalism has shown that many field reporters manage to rise to fame, especially those reporting from war zones or delivering shocking and original stories. However, the vast majority of field reporters started off as researchers, writers, and journalists. If you’re at the beginning of your career, this can be an excellent motivator. 

That’s especially true for broadcast journalism anchor jobs. If your dream job is to be a radio or TV presenter, you should know that it can take a while before you snatch that position. News anchors are a rare breed in the industry with an impeccable set of skills. However, all the hard work will pay off as news anchors can be paid four times more than regular journalists. 

Researchers and Writers 

If you’re just starting off, these job positions are great as entry-level broadcast journalism jobs. Behind every great story, there’s a lot of research involved before journalists come in. Usually, researchers will work with editors to check whether the story is worth pursuing. They team up with journalists to check the sources, available data, and other facts that will back up the story down the line. 

On the other hand, writers in broadcast journalism also have an important role. Summarizing stories or writing news bulletins are day-to-day jobs, not only for the sake of content broadcasting but for editors and journalists as well. 

Sports Broadcasting Jobs

One of the most successful niches in broadcasting is sports journalism. As you probably know, the sports industry is a big one with millions of sports fans. Sports broadcasting events are usually the most-watched television content.  

Typically, a degree in sports journalism is the best way to start, but it’s not a strict requirement. If you’re passionate enough and want to put effort into building your portfolio, a regular degree in journalism or a related field will suffice. Regardless of your choice, a sports commentator or a sports journalist are excellent sports broadcast journalism jobs.