The income potential of a broadcast journalist may not be very high in the initial years so it requires patience from the side of candidates who wish to make their mark in this field. Here is more information about salary in this profession.
Lots of hard work, creativity and technological knowledge can help you to make your mark in broadcast journalism. But that is not the only attraction in it, the salary of a broadcast journalist can be pretty high, if you have the right temperament and attitude to make your mark in this field. The industry thrives on change and it has been a phenomenon in the recent years. Age-old radios and TVs are being replaced by more sophisticated technologies, both in hardware and software. The Internet and web are becoming the dominant markets. Broadcasting is not only limited to TV and radio now. Broadcast journalists of this era need to be able to integrate all aspects of this industry, be it the old or new and they must march ahead to attain success. Consumer and audience behavior have seen transition from their old norms. There is a demand for creative shows and still there are people who want to see broadcasting of news and stories in the traditional, simple and old style. There is no limit to creativity and challenges in the field of broadcast journalism. All it requires is a passion in you to stick to this field and prove yourself.
If I Become a Broadcast Journalist, How Much Can I Earn?
Salaries in journalism are not dependent on one parameter. They are never just about right education and being in the right company. Many times, it is the market conditions that dominate the earning potential. Nevertheless, when we consider salaries, some very obvious factors that play vital role are the work experience, educational qualifications, job location area and type of employer.
To understand it more clearly, let us consider work experience. Generally, a fresher is always paid the least in his chosen industry relative to other employees of same educational level because of lack of experience. In the initial years of work as a broadcast journalist, an individual has the potential to earn anywhere between US$15,000 to US$55,000. Generally, this may appear a salary range with quite a drastic difference. Well, again this range covers many factors like type of employer. If you are fortunate to land up in large-scale television networks like the BBC or CNN, it is obviously, you will start with a better salary relative to others in the industry.
Several sources regarding salary data state that the salary of a broadcast journalist to be anywhere between US$60,000 to US$100,000. Salaries also depend on the way career of a broadcast journalist takes shape. Journalists who have vast years of work experience can move on to own webshows or similar ventures, even on the Internet! Given the way web world is penetrating our lives, all TV networks have a web presence, giving way to many employments, right from journalism field to technology stream. The city where a broadcast journalist works also determines salary as market size is a major factor that affects the pay scale in a state. Places like California and New York are known for a wide network of TV channels, radio stations and communication agencies. This creates options for better job opportunities and equally high competition in the broadcasting field.
Broadcast journalism careers are going through an overhaul, from being analog to digital. While it is a time for change in the broadcasting industry, the need of efficient journalists who can create interesting content, cover national and international news is set to rise in the coming years. Candidates have to be patient with respect to money and success in this field as it requires hard work to prove oneself in this industry. Traveling to even risky places to cover news is another challenging aspect of this career. Fame and popularity can also be a part and parcel of this profession, as you can be on the TV to inform citizens glued to their television about incidents occurring thousands of miles away from their residence. So if you have bachelor’s or master’s degree in journalism, you can try to make a career in this traditional field of journalism.