19 tasks, each one witnessed by the sources that watched the job — and behind every one, a prompt you can use tonight.
You often start by checking email and the editor’s assignment list in Microsoft Outlook, then pick stories to research. Expect to spend morning hours calling sources, scheduling interviews, and planning shots.
Afternoons usually mean shooting video at locations, transcribing interviews, editing clips in Adobe After Effects or basic editors, and filing a written script or online blog. You’ll update stories as new facts arrive and send packages back to the newsroom from the field.
First, know Microsoft Office—Word for scripts, Excel for tracking contacts and shots, and Outlook for newsroom communications. Editors expect these as basic tools.
Next, learn a video editor and motion tool like Adobe After Effects for graphics and basic editing. If you’ll handle data or polls, basic IBM SPSS Statistics familiarity helps, but it’s less urgent than editing and Office skills.
Use AI for transcription, first-draft story outlines, or generating interview question lists, but always check facts and quotes against recordings. Treat AI outputs as a starting point, not a final script.
Avoid using AI to invent quotes, misattribute facts, or alter interviews. Keep original recordings and written notes so editors can verify accuracy and style when needed.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 39,250 people worked as video journalists in 2025. The median annual wage was $62,200; the lowest tenth earned about $36,240 and the top tenth around $144,140 per year.
Pay varies by market size, employer (local TV vs. national outlet), and experience. Freelance rates differ; check local listings and union scales if applicable.
Take classes in journalism, media production, and public speaking. Learn Microsoft Office and a video editor (try Adobe After Effects or free editors) and practice shooting and editing short pieces.
Join your school paper or TV station to build a portfolio of written stories, recorded interviews, and short packages. Contact local newsrooms for internships or shadowing to see how editors and news directors coordinate assignments.
A camera operator focuses mainly on shooting video; they may not write or edit stories. A TV producer manages show structure, timings, and assigns reporters and camera crews.
A video journalist typically does several jobs: researching, interviewing, shooting, writing, editing, and transmitting stories to the newsroom. You’ll coordinate directly with editors and news directors and often file both video and written pieces.
Being able to research, write a clear script, and then shoot and edit a short package is the most valuable skill mix. Employers want someone who can do end-to-end work: find the angle, interview sources, and deliver a polished clip.
Practical skills to prove this: examples of short edited videos, a portfolio of written stories or blogs, and comfort using Microsoft Office and basic Adobe After Effects projects. That concrete combo beats vague promises.