It is common knowledge that news anchors are the people who report on our world. Most of us enjoy watching them and listening to what they have to say, but how much do we really know about these professionals? How much does a news anchor make per year? This blog post highlights some interesting facts you may not have known about your favorite media personalities.
Who is a News Anchor?
News Anchors are also known as journalists. A person who presents television and radio news broadcasts for the public, either live or recorded.
Types of News Anchors
There are two types of news anchors in general:
- Live News anchors
- Recorded News anchors
Roles and Responsibilities of a News Anchor
In order to know what work do news anchors do, go through the given responsibilities news anchors perform. Here is the list of their duties.
- They give information to people in flash news updates or current affairs program.
- They inform people about wars, disasters, political conflicts that are happening around the world. People present live coverage of events as they happen on news channels such as CNN and Fox News (the one’s with highest ratings). These include major world events, such as September 11 attacks in the USA, War on Terrorism, and the Syrian Civil War.
- News Anchors also present daily news program such as morning show or evening show.
- They are also guest speakers in individual talk shows.
- A news anchor provides commentary about current events. One of the most famous examples for this is Bill O’Reilly (Fox News) and his ‘No Spin Zone’.
- News Anchors can also provide commentary at political rallies, as well as other major events.
Education Required for News Anchors
A bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism or television and film is required for pursuing career as a News Anchor. This bachelor’s degree lets you become eligible or qualified for getting work as a news anchor in a reputed media house or news channel. Some schools also offer Master of Arts degrees for News Anchors that will give you an edge in this industry.
Skills Required for News Anchors
Having following skills make you a stronger candidate to become a news anchor:
- Ability to face camera or work in live mode
- Ability to control voice tone and deliver smooth performance
- Having sound knowledge of news and current affairs
- Confidence and good communication skills
- Being a person with high energy levels in order to maintain a consistently cool attitude.
How Much Does A News Anchor Make?
When it comes to the earning or income of a news anchor, it is pretty awesome as the job required hard work and dedication. The answer really depends on the network and region where he or she works. The salary range for News Anchors varies from $30,000 to more than $100,000 per year.
The average salaries for television anchors are pretty high — especially if you’re in a major market like New York or Los Angeles. In these cities, a news anchor for one of the major local stations can make $100,000 per year (not including potential bonuses).
As you’d expect, the highest-paid TV news anchors are usually those who have had many years of experience and have worked their way up to high-profile positions. For example, Katie Couric is one of the most well-known news anchors in the country and makes a whopping $10 million per year.
News anchors may also earn money by doing voice-overs for commercials or film trailers because of their amazing voice quality.
The higher a TV newscaster’s salary, the more likely he or she is to be a network anchor.
They earn an average of $75K annually. According to BLS, the median annual pay for radio and television announcers was about $34.37 per hour or approximately $74,640 per year.
The highest 10 percent earned more than $101,300, whereas the lowest 10 percent received less than $18,440 per year.
These are the salaries of some famous anchors in News Channels:
- Anderson Cooper (CNN) — $11 million per year
- Diane Sawyer (ABC World News Tonight)– $12 million per year
- Bob Schieffer (CBS’ Face the Nation)– $11 million per year
- Scott Pelley (CBS Evening News) –$5 million per year
In other words, a news anchor can earn a pretty decent living to support his or her family.
How Many Hours a Day News Anchor Work?
The news anchors work 40-hour weeks with occasional over time. If they’re on air in the morning, for example, then they may have to come into the office a few hours before the show starts and stay later.
Most of the News anchors work officially from 9 AM to 10 PM, seven days per week, with a few working as late as 11PM or for programs that are broadcast around the clock.
Bonus Fact: In the United States, many broadcast news departments have eliminated anchor positions in favor of multiple reporters and anchors or a solo anchor.
The work environment of a news anchor is also very different from other conventional jobs and workplaces.
- They have to work in a hot studio for long hours.
- They work under pressure because they need to keep everything right.
- They become famous due to their job which leads them to face huge amount of criticism.
- They have to work in shifts and some may be on air 24/7.
Top 10 Highest Paid TV News Anchors in 2021
- Scott Pelley (CBS Evening News): $28 million
- Matt Lauer (The Today Show): $27 million
- Michael Strahan (Good Morning America) : $25 million
- Chris Cuomo (CNN): $22 million
- Lester Holt (NBC Nightly News) : $20 million
- David Muir (ABC World News Tonight): $19.5 million
- Alex Witt (MS NBC Live at 1pm ET/12 CT) : $19 million
- Shep Smith (Fox News Channel): $18 million
- Kelly Wright (Fox News Channel): $17 million
- Maria Bartiromo (CNBC): $16 million
How to Get a Job as News Anchor?
After reading through the media facts about news anchors and news industry, you will probably be willing to begin your career as a News Anchor. For this, just follow the given steps and you will definitely end up acquiring a good start as a news anchor.
Step 1: Broadcast Journalism education is the first step. Most news stations and networks look for candidates who have a degree in broadcast journalism.
Step 2: Experience matters! In order to get experience, new anchors usually start out with small local stations or cable channels like CNN or Fox News. Smaller markets are a great place to start. Smaller stations usually don’t have as many anchors and it’s easier for new talent to stand out.
Step 3: Work in one city for a few years before moving on. If you want to be the next Katie Couric, then make sure you work at it! Don’t jump from job to job — when you’re trying to make a name for yourself, it’s important to stick with one company or network for a few years before moving on.
Step 4: Networking is key! News stations and networks hold regular auditions for new anchors. Make sure you go to these auditions and do everything you can to get an in-person interview.
Conclusion
These were the amazing media facts about news anchors and how much does a news anchor make. So, are you ready to boost your career as a news anchor? Do share your feedback in the comments section.