Im interested in a being an anchor on CNN but need help!?

Question

im a senior in high school and one of my choices of work is being on CNN or Fox News. How exactly do i do that? what do i have to major in? how many years does it take before i can start working? Do i only need a 4 year B.S degree, or something else? Most importantly, HOW MUCH DO ANCHORS ON CNN OR FOX NEWS GET PAID?

Answer 1

First, I strongly recommend using proper grammar, spelling and capitalization at all times.

Second, decide your politics. Fox News is conservative. Yes, they have token Sean Hannity, but they are less news, more PR soapbox for the conservatives.

To be a real journalist ...

College -- major in broadcasting, with a double major or minor in political science, business, history, etc.

Get internships. Lots of internships. Learn all about the web and online production, video editing, videography, etc.

Your starting job out of college might pay $25K, if you're really lucky. But you'll have to start in a very small network and you'll be doing all your own work. No helpers (i.e. cameramen, makeup crew, etc.)

It will take at least 15 years after college graduation to be an anchor, and then there's a lot of luck, networking and good contacts involved. It's hardly a linear goal. You'd be better served aiming to be network of a local news station.

Answer 2

I don't know the answer to this, but I do pray you get a job at Fox news!

Answer 3

Anderson Cooper basically when out to do freelance reporting(in Myanmar!) and ended up getting a spot in CNN. Freelancing is where you just basically go reporting things by yourself and sell it to any news network who might want your report. If you make some reports that can get national attention you'll get some job in media.

Answer 4

OK, a broadcast journalism degree is a starting point. Take some English courses and maybe a little history and political science on the side. A four-year degree is fine -- graduate degrees only are needed in case you go on to teaching.

Some work on the college campus station will help (if there is one), and some interning is good too.

Paychecks are all over the map. The big guns of cable news might make seven figures, but there are many more low-paying jobs there. Your odds of becoming a top anchor are exceedingly small, so while not giving up your dreams, be realistic.

There are many paths to jobs in the TV news business. Wolf Blitzer started out in print, as the Washington bureau chief for the Jerusalem Post. He got an audition for a CNN job, and worked his way up.

And philosophical content matters less than you might think. While Fox might want people of a particular slant in certain positions, most jobs are pretty non-partisan.

Answer 5

You have a philisophical decision to make, if you want to pursue CNN you will need to be liberal, if you want to pursue Fox you will need to be conservative.

They are NOT alike.