Newhouse School of Communications
Career Paths:
Broadcast Journalism
Broadcast Networks
Broadcast networks-such as ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox-operate by paying local stations, called affiliates, to carry both network-produced shows and programs purchased from other sources. Most networks produce a variety of news programs, including daily national news shows such as "NBC Nightly News," morning talk/news programs such as "Good Morning America," and increasingly popular news-magazine shows such as "Dateline." Networks employ thousands of newspeople, but they seldom hire anyone without some type of television experience.
Cable Operations
The growth of cable news and information networks, such as CNN and FOX News Network, has created more jobs for broadcast journalists. Providing constant news programming, these stations offer greater entry-level opportunities than do the networks. In fact, rumor has it that CNN hires more entry-level people than any other broadcast news operation in the world. On a community level, a new trend toward local, 24-hour cable news stations is opening up more opportunities for aspiring broadcast journalists. News 12 Long Island and New England Cable News are just two examples of cable stations committed to providing round-the-clock news coverage to their respective communities-a task that demands a sizable and dedicated staff of journalists. Don't forget your local community access channel; many of these stations also produce news programs, although the paid news staffs tend to number as few as one or two people.
Local Stations
There are more than 10,000 local television and radio stations in the United States which provide a wealth of jobs for broadcast journalists. Local stations operate in and broadcast to a set geographic area known as a market. The majority of local stations are either commercial or public broadcasting affiliates which, besides carrying some of the network's lineup of original programming, broadcast syndicated shows and locally-produced newscasts. Those stations not affiliated with a network, called "independents," rely heavily on syndicated programming, although many do produce local news programs.
Information from experience.com 6/2000
Positions held by Newhouse Class of 2005 graduates:
- Reporter/Bureau Chief - KDRV-TV, Medford Falls, OR
- Production Assistant - KTLA Morning Show, Los Angeles
- Producer - KVIA Channel 7, El Paso, TX
- Sales Assistant - MTV Networks, NYC
- AM Producer - WJZ-TV, Baltimore, MD
- Reporter - WNYT-TV, Albany, NY
