Tag: tv

  • Career Profile: Television Reporter

    Career Profile: Television Reporter

    For many people, watching the evening news is a daily routine. They learn about world events from reporters who gather facts and inform viewers about what they’ve discovered. Becoming a television reporter involves education and experience, but also the ability to pursue stories and to condense them into forms that fit into news programs. If that idea appeals to you, becoming a television reporter might be the right choice.

    Have you ever worked on a school newspaper or interviewed someone for an assignment? Television reporters spend a lot of their time trying to find the facts about events in their own communities or around the world. This can often involve talking to people and doing research in libraries or archives. They need to research everything they can about their subject/s, so they can ask intriguing questions while getting to the truth or heart of the story.

    Most television reporters prepare for their careers by getting a bachelor’s degree in journalism, broadcasting or television production. Taking creative writing or English literature courses can also be useful. Some reporters might also want to specialize in a particular type of writing or in the history and politics of a certain area of the world. If you know a lot about subjects that involve science or literature, you can work towards specializing in a specific topic. However, reporters have to be prepared to work on any assignments that they receive-usually in the beginning of their career.

    Knowing about camera and recording equipment is also useful for television reporters. Large news stations normally have technicians who operate cameras and sound recording equipment, but at smaller stations, reporters might have to learn how to use all of this equipment themselves. When they go out to report on an event, they have to keep the camera rolling while talking and asking people questions.

    When they first start out, most reporters work on small, local stories. They might report on a local music festival or a problem with playground equipment. In large television stations with many reporters, it might take several years before they can work on bigger stories. However, if they gain skills and experience, they can often move on to other types of reporting. They might never get to work on the most exciting stories, but they could begin to make their own decisions about which ones to cover.

    Salaries for television reporters may vary. When they start out, especially at small stations, reporters might earn only about $20,000 per year. With experience, however, they could reach $100,000 per year, especially if they are willing to travel to different parts of the world. In most parts of Canada, the average salary for a television reporter is between $45,000 and $55,000 per year.

    Becoming a television reporter takes a lot of practice and requires you to be open to the world and what stories it has to offer. If you enjoy talking to people and finding out the facts behind a story, this job might be a good career choice for you.

    Bibliography:

    Halbrooks, Glenn. TV Reporter Career Profile and Job Description http://media.about.com/od/televisionandradio/p/Tv-Reporter-Career-Profile.htm.
    Living in Canada. “Journalist Salary Canada.” http://www.livingin-canada.com/salaries-for-journalists.html.
    Occupation Profile for Radio and Television Announcers http://www.careers.org/occupations/27-3011.00/radio-and-television-announcers.
    Study.com. “News Reporter Career Information, Job Duties and Salary Info.” http://study.com/news_reporter_career.html.

  • Real Jobs: Comedian

    Real Jobs: Comedian

    Knock, knock. Who’s there? It’s a comedian.

    Do you like to tell jokes? Do your friends and family tell you that you’re funny? If so, you might want to consider becoming a comedian when you grow up.

    Telling jokes to make people laugh is only part of what it takes to be a comedian. Finding humour in everyday life is also important. Comedians observe people and try to understand why they act the way they do. Often, they begin by looking at their own lives and finding the humour in what they do and then seeing how it applies to other people. A joke about how the comedian eats popcorn, for example, might make other people think about the funny ways that they eat. All comedians find ways to laugh about everyday life, but some comedians do even more.

    Satire is a special kind of comedy that points out people’s weaknesses, usually in a funny way. Often, satire is about politicians, business leaders, or other well-known people. The idea of satire is not just to laugh, but also to change the way people think and act. Rick Mercer is a good example of a Canadian satirist. He began his comedy career in 1994 with This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and he later became known for his own program, the Rick Mercer Report. The program is about current events, political leaders and the ways that people work together.

    Not all comedians have their own television programs. Some of them play small parts on other people’s shows, but others perform in clubs, at parties or even restaurants. Most comedians start slowly, maybe by telling a joke or two at a special event and then working their way up to presenting their jokes at a comedy club.

    Becoming a comedian basically takes a lot of practice and a sense of humour. Although some comedians take classes to learn the skills they need, most prefer to learn from other entertainers as they work. The main quality that these people need is an ability to talk in front of large groups of people. If you love to be with people and you love to be funny, a career as a comedian might be right for you.