Friday, December 9, 2011

Is Broadcast Journalism Right for You?

In the world of multimedia careers, you may come across the idea of working as a broadcast journalist. This is a fairly lucrative career to be involved with, but it certainly isn't the right job for everyone. It takes a special type of person to work as a news reporter on television, and you need to figure out if you are one of those people before you commit to this career. You may be surprised to find out this just isn't the job for you. Here is a look at some of the qualities you need to have as a broadcast journalist so you can plan your next move in life.

Do you have an upbeat personality?

While most people get annoyed with a Richard Simmons-esque personality, they are more inclined to watch a spunky person than they are to watch a bland and dreary one. The exception to this rule would of course be Ben Stein who turned Clear Eyes into the most exciting product in the world with his monotone way of speaking. For the most part, you need to have a positive attitude if you want to work in broadcast journalism. You have to present yourself as a lively person, even if you have to work at 5 AM. If you aren't upbeat from the start, you will never do well in this industry.

Can you enunciate your words?

Broadcast journalism is all about reporting the facts, so you need to make sure you get the facts out of your mouth in the right way. That requires a little think called enunciation. E-nun-ci-a-tion. You cannot slur your words in this industry, now can you run them altogether assuming someone will know what you're talking about. Every word makes a big difference in your reports, so you have to get it out there correctly. In other words, don't speak like these guys…



I've watched that video a billion times, and about the only thing I get from it is "grape jelly." Don't turn into a grape jelly reporter in the future, okay? That shouldn't be too hard.

Can you think quickly on your feet?

Broadcast journalists have to think well on their feet because they have to keep the flow of conversation going. If you are interviewing someone for a report, you will have to be able to feed off the person's responses to get the best story possible. That requires coming up with questions on the spot and feeding off the vibe that the person is giving you. You may also need to be able to think quickly so that you can speak on behalf of a last minute event. If you get called out to do an instant update on something, you have to be able to talk about it. That requires quick thinking every time.

Do you enjoy being on camera?

At the end of the day, you have to be prepared for some face time if you want to be a broadcast journalist. A lot of people enjoy the reporting side of broadcast journalism, but they don't exactly like the idea of being on camera. If you are one of those people, you may actually want to learn how to become a journalist. If none of that sounds like it fits your personality, you may want to look for a different career entirely. There are plenty of multimedia careers out there to choose from, so explore your options and figure out which one works best for you.

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