News Analyst Careers Information
News analysts bring breaking news into people’s homes, 24 hours a day. They translate complex news stories into brief, digestible summaries that are easily delivered to their busy viewers. They are the on-air face of the television news media.
News Analyst Careers & Degrees
News analysts often rely on video footage in order to relate their stories, and at times may travel to the scene of the story. This is becoming more and more prevalent in the era of 24-hour news networks and high-definition pictures; each network is anxious to get its high-profile broadcast journalists out and into the scene.
Some news analysts act as pundits, debating current news topics with others, to clarify popular viewpoints or tease nuance from the story at hand. Others may serve as specialists, offering advice on stories that fall within their particular area of expertise.
News Analyst Careers Path
Most news analysts hold bachelor’s degrees in either journalism, communications, or a related field. Some, however, may have very different educational backgrounds.
This is particularly true of analysts who focus on specific areas: those who focus on financial news may hold degrees or have significant experience in economics or banking, for example, or political pundits may have experience in government or public policy.
However, most who seek to enter into news broadcasting should seek to join their college radio stations, public-access television stations, or other forms of broadcast media as early as possible. Experience is often just as important, if not more so, than formal education.
News Analyst Careers: Compatible Personality Traits
Proficiency in all types of multimedia, excellent writing and communications skills, dedication to accurate reporting, creativity, keen attention to detail, persistence, poise
News Analyst Careers: Salary Expectations
As with all broadcast journalists, salaries can range greatly depending on the media outlet for which the news analyst works. Median annual wages for broadcast news analysts is just over $51,000, with most earning between $32,000 and $89,000.
News Analyst Careers: Job Outlook
Employment for news analysts is expected to decline slightly throughout the next decade. As advertising revenue seeks out new media opportunities, television broadcast opportunities will decrease slightly. Jobs will still be available and some of them will have excellent opportunities, but competition will continue to be very fierce.
Those seeking to become news analysts or any form of broadcast journalist are advised to look at all forms of media, new and old, for new and exciting positions as the news-delivery format continues to shift.
Slightly Off the Footpath
Source: bls.gov
