Small-market television is where entry-level journalists can learn the skills they need to advance.
Television news markets are generally classified as top 20, large, medium and small markets. Entry level television journalism jobs have meager salaries and are very competitive. Applicants may have to spend a good bit of money to even get an interview, including putting together a demo reel, sending out resumes and traveling to interviews. Unlike some other industries, small-market television stations spend very little on recruiting because they get more applications than they can even review.
Small Television Markets
Small television markets are classified by their DMA, or designated market area. How large a TV market is depends on the area encompassed by the DMA. Surprisingly, some smaller towns, like Greenville, North Carolina, are considered larger because the DMA includes a large region with many counties. Larger cities like San Antonio may have a DMA that includes just the city, making it smaller than you might think. The smallest television market as of July 2011, was Glendive, Montana, coming in at 210th. New york City is the No. 1 market, with Los Angeles coming in second and Chicago third.
Salaries for Small Market Anchors
If you land a job as an anchor in a market that is in the 100th or greater DMA, you have probably already had a position as a reporter in an even smaller market. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the bottom 10 percent of news anchors in 2010 made less than $23,470.00 per year, while the top 10 percent made more than $157,000.00 per year. The bottom 10 percent work in small markets whose DMA is below the 100 mark. Small-market anchor salaries are primarily dependent on which newscast the anchor marshals. Anchors for the 6 p.m. newscast make considerably more than anchors for the midday or noon newscasts. Many anchors even in smaller markets rely on an agent to negotiate their contracts.
Salaries for Small Market Reporters, Producers and Videographers
If you are considering a position as a reporter, producer or videographer in a 100+ television market, prepare to be stunned by what in many industries would be considered a meager salary. Reporters in small markets can expect to make between $20,000 and $25,000, in some markets even less. Producers in small markets have salaries similar to reporters. Small-market stations are now relying on most of their reporters to shoot their own video, sometimes calling the positions reporter/photographer or multiplatform journalists. The average salary for a TV news videographer is around $32,000.00 per year, with the minimum being around $13,000.00 or minimum wage and the maximum salary in Top 20 markets topping out at $85,000 per year.
Considerations
As an entry-level television journalist, be prepared to work long hours for little pay in your first two years. Although many entry-level reporters have a journalism degree, many aspects of television news can only be learned on the job. Most television news positions, including reporters, anchors and producers, are contract positions that require the journalist to work at a station for at least two years before moving on. Once you have survived your first two years in television news, your experience can help you move up to a medium or larger market, where salaries are better.
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