A broadcast journalist delivers and often writes news stories to be read over radio or television. A broadcast journalist writes in a variety of formats depending on who they’re writing for, how long a newsbreak is, and how time sensitive a story is.
The broadcast journalist has to be a strong writer who can identify a newsworthy story and write a compelling story that’s easily digested by the viewer or listener. Unlike print journalism, broadcast journalists need to write to an audience that only has one chance to consume what’s being shared with them. Not only does that story have to be easily understood by their audience, but it must also be readable for the anchor, broadcaster, or for themselves. Some broadcast journalists must also be somewhat familiar with sound editing software, as they’ll want to incorporate sound bytes and live footage into their stories.
Broadcast journalists usually work for a radio or TV station, and are typically assigned to specific shows and segments. They often report to editors, and work in conjunction with anchors, broadcasters, and producers.
Broadcast journalists should be able to deliver high quality work under an incredible time crunch. They should be very detail-oriented, as one mistake could affect how a broadcaster or anchor reads a story, and ultimately how the audience perceives it. They should be comfortable doing interviews on the fly, but willing to research whenever possible.
If you’re considering applying to be a broadcast journalist, your resume will need to show that you can turn around stories quickly and without error, and know how to make a story sound readable rather than just appear readable. It should show that you’re adaptable, and respond well to pressure. An audio reel and writing portfolio should complement your resume if possible.
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