by Stanley Teater

Created on: May 24, 2008

If becoming a broadcast journalist is your professional dream there are some hard facts you need to consider. First, it's not necessarily a path to riches. In both television and radio salaries are a reflection of the size of the market. The larger the market the more stations can charge for advertising and the more they can pay journalists.

Second, you'll have competition. Lots and lots of competition. Everyone, it seems, wants to be the next Walter Cronkite or Edward R. Murrow. That makes it harder to get that first job and makes it likely that you'll be paid poorly when you do get it.

Third, the job may seem glamorous but it really isn't. It's hard work on very tight deadlines. You probably won't ever get weeks to work on a story. You'll be thankful when you get days. You'll usually get a matter of just a few hours.

Fourth, don't think you'll start your career in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. Very few people do. Odds are your first job will be in a small to mid-size market. So be prepared to "earn your stripes" in towns like Waco, Texas, Huntsville, Alabama or Grand Junction, Colorado.

If you still want to be a broadcast journalist the first thing you need to do is separate yourself from everyone else who applies for the job. Do you have a journalism degree? That's great. But it's only a first step. Everyone else has a journalism degree too. If you want to stand out find a niche. Don't just study journalism in school. Get a second degree, or at least a minor, in something like economics, law, business or political science. By having a specialty you increase your chances, not only of getting the first job but also being able to move on to a top market or network. (And if the broadcast dream doesn't work out you'll also have another way to earn a living.)

A resume alone won't get your foot in the door anywhere. You'll have to have a tape. If you get the chance to do an internship, jump at it. You'll get a glimpse at what life is really like in broadcasting and, if you're persistent, you'll get a chance to put together a tape, your "reel". That tape is your ticket to a job. Use it, not just to show what you look like, but also that you can write, edit and think on your feet. Ask for feedback from reporters and photographers at the station. Listen to them. If you get a chance, sit down with the news director when your internship is almost at an end. Show him or her the tape and ask for advice. If there are jobs open at the station, apply for them. If not, keep in touch with the news director after you leave. News Directors lean heavily on one another for help in finding qualified people. Ask if they know anyone who's hiring. Don't be a pest and don't call during the two hours immediately before a newscast, but do call regularly.

And above everything else, be patient. Don't give up. If you're talented it's just a matter of timing. Make the right call at the right time and that first job just may be yours.

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