News Analyst

How to become a News Analyst
What does a News Analyst do?
Skills and Qualities to Become a News Analyst
News Analyst Salary
Influential Professionals in this Field
Leading Organizations in this Field
Top Cities for News Analyst Jobs
Other Careers of Interest

How to become a News Analyst

Looking to become a news analyst? Employers state that practical experience is the most important part for any analyst in regards to their formal education and training. By graduation, it is typical for news analysts to get a lot of hands-on experience through either part-time jobs or internships. Numerous magazines, newspapers, and broadcast news organizations offer some sort of reporting or editing internship.

Also helpful and advantageous are freelancing, where one gets paid per story, or journalism scholarships/fellowships as well as assistantships awarded to college journalism students by universities, newspapers. or professional organizations.

What does a News Analyst do?

Analysts need to analyze and interpret news and information that has been received from multiple sources as well as prepare stories and perform broadcasts. Candidates must be able to use a computer to write commentaries, columns, or scripts. Aside from word-processing, desktop publishing skills are also helpful for analysts. Computer-assisted reporting as a means to analyze data in search of a story, utilization of computer data bases, and knowledge of news photography are extremely advantageous for any news analyst candidate in terms of rounding out their everyday tasks.

Analysts need to examine news items of local, state, national, and international events as well as determine topics of interest to address or obtain assignments from editorial staff members. Analysts coordinate and serve as anchors on news broadcast programs. They edit news material to ensure that it fits within available time or the allotted space for broadcast. Then, they select material that is most pertinent to presentation, organizing it in appropriate formats for the intended audiences. It is necessary to gather information and develop perspectives about news subjects through research, interviews, observation, and experience. After obtaining the necessary information for the story, analysts present news stories and introduce in-depth videotaped segments or live transmissions from on-the-scene reporters.

What skills or qualities do I need to become a News Analyst?

Good reading comprehension is necessary to understand work-related documents. Speaking skills are extremely important. Speech clarity and speech recognition are indispensable in conveying information to their intended broadcast audiences effectively. Oral comprehension is equally important for analysts when conversing with sources to acquire information for news stories. Analysts need to be socially perceptive, being fully aware of others' reactions, and comprehend the origin or reason for a particular reaction. Active listening is crucial for analysts. Candidates need to take the time to understand points being made, asking the appropriate questions and not interrupting inappropriately. Since writing is as an integral part of this profession as live broadcast for these stories, effective writing and time management skills are also essential. Anything can happen last minute, and analysts need to be able to prepare and present effectively and coherently at a moment's notice. Therefore, written expression and written comprehension, inductive and deductive reasoning, and originality are crucial for analyst performance.

It is crucial to monitor oneself, others, or organizations as a means to make improvements or take corrective measures when required. Judgment and decision-making are constantly used to determine the appropriate actions after weighing the costs and benefits of potential actions. Critical thinking is another important skill set since analysts need to be able to reason and identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

How much does a News Analyst make?

As reported from the U.S. Labor Bureau of Statistics, the median annual earnings of broadcast news analysts were $49,060 in May 2007. Pay will vary due to geographic location. The most competitive jobs will be at large metropolitan and national newspapers, broadcast stations, and magazines. The middle 50% earned between $30,830 and $89,870. The lowest 10% earned less than $22,480 and the highest 10% earned more than $145,600. Median annual earnings of broadcast news analysts were $48,790 in radio and television broadcasting.

Who are some influential professionals in this field?

There are quite a few well-known American broadcast news analysts that became household names. Tom Brokaw, Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, and Peter Jennings are some of the most well-known and respected analysts, leaving their geographic footprint domestically and worldwide. Many people know and remember Brokaw from NBC Nightly News and NBC News Special Correspondent. Cronkite, also known as "Uncle Walter," has been one of the most trusted news anchors in the business. Cronkite got his start on CBS News and then switched to CBS Nightly News. He is probably most remembered for the unforgettable and nation shocking broadcast of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Dan Rather also was well known for CBS Evening News and CBS' 60 Minutes. Peter Jennings, another well-known anchor from ABC's World News Tonight, was a high school drop out who became one of the leading journalists until his death from lung cancer. He, along with Brokaw and Rather, made up the "Big Three" news anchors that dominated American evening news during the 1980s and 1990s.

What are some leading organizations in this field?

Some of the leading organizations to work for as an analyst are ABC, NBC and CBS. Created in 1943 and owned by the Walt Disney Company, ABC is the most watched broadcast station in the United States. NBC formed in 1926 and was the first major broadcast network in the United States. It has an estimated viewership of 98.6% of American households. CBS was the third national network and was created in 1927. It can be seen in about 96.98% of all American households and is currently the most watched television network in the United States.

What are the top cities for News Analyst jobs?

Competition will still be seen largely in major metropolitan areas with large broadcast stations. Analysts just starting out will have a better time getting into a smaller broadcast station in a lesser-known metropolitan area. However, if someone is a talented writer who can handle very specialized scientific or technical subjects, they will fair much better. South Dakota, Utah, Georgia, Virginia, and Montana have the highest concentration of news analysts. However, Florida, Colorado, Massachusetts, Washington, and Tennessee are the highest paying states for news analysts.

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