20 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
You often start before air time: check wire services, read overnight emails in Microsoft Outlook, and meet editors to pick stories. That first hour is story selection, script edits, and running order for the show.
During the broadcast you introduce pre-recorded items, read pre-drafted texts, conduct interviews live or via phone, and update scripts as new information arrives. After air you debrief, write or edit copy in Microsoft Word or Office, and coordinate follow-ups with producers and reporters.
Anchors use Microsoft Outlook for scheduling and email; Microsoft Word or other parts of Microsoft Office to write scripts and news stories; and Microsoft Excel to track running orders, contacts, or ad logs.
You may also use newsroom systems (not listed here) for teleprompters and live feeds, and PowerPoint when presenting special segments. If your station records or transmits remotely, you'll use software that handles audio/video feeds alongside these Office tools.
Use AI to speed tasks like summarizing reports or creating a first draft, but always verify facts against primary sources and interviews. AI can misstate names, dates, or quotes, so check each fact yourself and with editors.
Keep original interviews and recordings; use AI outputs only as a draft. Label AI-generated text clearly for your editor and avoid using it for live read copy unless an editor has checked it and you confirm accuracy.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports 39,250 people employed as anchors. The median pay is $62,200 per year. The bottom 10% earn about $36,240, and the top 10% earn about $144,140 per year (BLS).
Local market, experience, and type of media (TV, radio, streaming) change pay a lot. Expect smaller markets to pay near the low end and national networks or big-city anchors to reach the high end.
Study journalism, broadcast journalism, or communications; good schools teach reporting, media law, and ethics and give hands-on practice with cameras and audio. Join your school TV/radio station to practice writing scripts, interviewing, and producing.
Learn Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint) because newsrooms use them for scripts and schedules. Build a demo reel by recording practice newscasts, interviews, and remote reports; that reel is what stations will ask to see.
Anchors usually present the news from the studio, read pre-drafted texts, introduce pre-recorded items, and coordinate with editors and producers. They also conduct interviews in-studio and update stories on air.
Reporters (or correspondents) gather information in the field, photograph or videotape news events, transmit reports from remote locations, and research background. Anchors still report and can file their own stories, but the anchor’s main role is presentation and show coordination.
Clear, accurate live reading and quick editing skills. You must read pre-drafted texts smoothly, introduce packages, and adapt scripts when new facts arrive — often on the spot.
That means strong listening and interview skills, the ability to select pertinent material for viewers, and the discipline to review and edit stories for accuracy and style before and during broadcasts.