How to become A News Producer

Keeping up with news and current affairs can be an arduous task in a constantly changing and busy world. News Producers make our lives easier and inform us by sequencing and producing accurate news segments on various topics. They work with directors, journalists and technical staff to oversee the broadcasting process and ensure well-executed content that is distributed aptly and respects the timeframe and budgetary guidelines.  

• Producer
• Broadcast Producer
• Digital News Producer
• Digital News Content Producer
• TV News Producer
• Television News Producer

What do News Producers do?

A News Producer would typically need to:

• Collaborate with the news director and other colleagues to brainstorm, select, research, film, prioritise and produce content to report in the form of news broadcasts on television, radio or the internet
• Develop newscasting strategies that help achieve the news station’s broadcasting and corporate goals 
• Use technical and production skills to manage the diverse day-to-day aspects of news broadcasts, such as project planning and quality assurance testing
• Coordinate the activities of the news production team to ensure that the type and order of the news stories amount to a cohesive show that maintains high technical standards
• Remain updated with current events locally and worldwide and collect information, stories and pieces from team members to create news shows throughout the day
• Produce breaking news reports with relevant footage, images and sound bites to ensure the information in the broadcast is consistent and can be easily understood by audiences
• Anchor weekly news shows independently or with colleagues and interact with live callers 
• Liaise with the technical team, studio crew and anchors when a program is being aired; monitor news broadcasts to troubleshoot and problem-solve
• Ensure that news production abides by time and budgetary limits
• Produce daily traffic reports for use by local radio and TV stations
• Promote upcoming newscasts in collaboration with the creative department 
• Find ways to make news segments more attractive to audiences 
• Perform remote telecasting for sporting events at stadiums or other locations
• Prepare assets and presentation material and convert web pages into HMTL
• Work with designers and computing specialists to develop content for HTML newsletters, designing and coding them to be sent out periodically
• Assist the director of photography with the assembly of production equipment before and after news broadcasts
• Create and update daily logs for target promotions, syndicate content and customer ratings
• Train subordinates and aspiring News Producers in how to use electronic news production systems (ENPS), edit videos and content, and other facets of news productions
• Supervise creating broadcast schedules and help resolve personnel issues

News Producers typically spend their workday inside the broadcasting station, working closely with the news anchors and production staff. They work under tight deadlines and must manage several elements of broadcasting all at once. As a result, they are quite used to high-pressure environments. However, despite restrictive deadlines, News Producers have creative control over broadcast material and focus on a wide array of subjects to keep work insightful and engaging. 

News Producers may also travel with their news teams and produce newscasts from various locations. 

Producing multiple newscasts every day requires most News Producers to work more than forty hours per week, including evening, holiday and weekend work. They must stay prepared to work as and when newsworthy events occur and meet multiple deadlines every day.

Finding a new job might seem challenging. News producers can boost their job search by asking their network for referrals, contacting companies directly, using job search platforms, leveraging social media, and inquiring at staffing agencies.

News Producers are generally employed by: 

• TV Stations 
• Media & Entertainment Companies 
• Television Broadcasting Agencies
• Global Media Content Companies

Professional associations and organisations are crucial for News Producers interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Finding a story to base a news segment on 
• Challenges involved in moving towards an increasingly digital environment and the enhanced nature of competition it creates 
• Keeping emotions and opinions in check to ensure the news coverage is objective

Any academic program that a potential News Producer takes up typically requires a period of supervised experience, such as an internship. Relevant experience contributes to securing a job and allows aspiring News Producers to build better networks of professional relationships to work their way up the ladder in the news production and broadcasting industry. 

It is helpful to work at a campus news station run by students at your university, preparing and presenting various news segments for on-campus events. As you gain experience, try looking for internships at a nearby local news station where you might get to work in a studio with more experienced News Producers.

Such opportunities teach you to work as part of a news team. They also expose you to the nitty-gritty of the broadcasting industry, such as journalistic research, ethics, writing, and video editing. Internships may lead you to find work at a local news channel. Make sure to begin producing news segments and create a reel of all your work to showcase your abilities to prospective employers.

Read about the profession and interview or job shadow experts working in news production and broadcasting to demonstrate your ability and commitment to find and cover a good story to course providers and prospective employers.

It is recommended that aspiring News Producers complete a bachelor’s degree in mass or business communications, journalism, video production, or English. A bachelor’s degree in political science, business or economics will allow you to specialise in the area of news you wish to broadcast.

You may also choose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. It provides opportunities for students to learn how the industry works and what it takes to broadcast news to local or worldwide audiences. Coursework typically includes journalism, communications, media studies and the technical aspects of news production, such as news writing, announcing, and camera and equipment operation.

While not mandatory, certification demonstrates a News Producer’s competence in a skill set, typically through work experience, training, and passing an examination. When acquired from an objective and reputed organisation, it can help you stand out in a competitive job market, carry a significant salary premium of up to 18 per cent, increase your chances of advancement, and allow you to become an independent consultant.

Successful certification programs protect public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics.

Typically, licensure requires an application, processing fees, an examination, and relevant education and experience. Check with local or national news producing organisations to determine whether you need licensure.

An employment background check can include but is not limited to a person’s work history, education, credit history, motor vehicle reports (MVRs), criminal record, medical history, use of social media, and drug screening.

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications drive career progression. Employees with consistently high performance levels may be eligible for promotion every two to three years.

Entry-level positions such as interns or news production assistants will allow new graduates to receive on-the-job training to prepare them for career advancement. Such positions may also enable prospective News Producers to learn how to research, write and produce news segments. They may also be asked to take on other tasks as required, such as reviewing scripts and helping on set by moving equipment, preparing studios, managing lighting, and logging footage.

With more experience, you may move to senior management roles, such as Executive Producer and later Marketing Communications Manager. You may also advance in your career by joining well-known and respected stations or news organisations that broadcast to larger audiences. You could even choose to become a Consultant.

Keep in mind that many news organisations fill vacancies by promoting internal candidates. Hence, you stand a fair chance of becoming a News Producer if you have experience within the company.

Candidates with the necessary skills, experience, and education and those who can work with several journalists simultaneously have the best job prospects. Video editing proficiency is an added advantage.

Continuing professional development (CPD) will help an active News Producer build personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. It allows you to upskill continually, regardless of your age, job, or level of knowledge.

Aspiring News Producers may seek mentorship throughout their careers. You may find mentors by joining professional organisations, which provide job listings and opportunities to network, learn more about the industry and keep pace with industry trends. Membership in such organisations facilitates your attendance at industry events, workshops and seminars.

To keep pace with your constantly evolving role, whether as a fresh or current News Producer, adding the latest video editing tools and techniques to your repertoire of skills is critical to your efficiency and success.

News Producer vs Executive Producer

News Producers and executive producers discharge slightly different job responsibilities. An executive producer typically carries out tasks such as securing funds for production, hiring staff, outlining the work schedule, and ensuring compliance with industry and union regulations. A News Producer works directly on producing news segments and seeks the help of an executive producer to launch them. Executive producers typically sit atop the media hierarchy and oversee a production from inception to delivery.

Skills a News Producer Needs

• Organising, rewriting, managing, and fine-tuning a story before the broadcast to ensure it is sensitively, precisely and accurately presented 
• Video editing, particularly when working with smaller or independent stations
• Stacking a show to ensure an informative and engaging sequence of segments, prioritising major breaking news and important stories followed by human interest or “fluff” pieces, which may be optional
• Communication skills that help increase your station’s content and viewership
• Collaborating with and managing the team (on-air talent, reporters, directors, tech staff and others involved with the broadcast), facilitating better productivity by troubleshooting and tackling emergencies without frequent interruptions 
• Time management to manage their own schedule and ensure that each broadcast, a series of defined time blocks, meets the daily deadlines since pre-production and prep time is only a few hours each day
• Quick and effective decision-making with clarity of reason and thought since the nature of your work needs you to move quickly without wasting time on non-essentials
•  Ability to tackle the specific needs of live TV since you cannot redo such broadcasts

Potential Pros & Cons of Freelancing vs Full-Time Employment

Freelancing News Producers have more flexible work schedules and locations. They have full ownership of the business and can select their projects and clients. However, they experience inconsistent work and cash flow, which means more responsibility, effort and risk.

On the other hand, a full-time News Producer has company-sponsored health benefits, insurance, and retirement plans. They have job security with a fixed, reliable source of income and guidance from their bosses. Yet, they may experience boredom due to a lack of flexibility, ownership, and variety.

When deciding between freelancing or being a full-time employee, consider the pros and cons to see what works best for you.

“Team coverage” refers to a plan to use several reporters to cover different aspects of a topic, for instance, when the news concerns disasters and national elections.

Audience engagement, their expanded awareness of issues, the changes it makes to their lives, and other metrics determine your success as a News Producer. Using your story-telling, sequencing and video editing techniques, News Producers fulfil the ever-increasing demand for their skills and creativity. They help improve efficiency and savings by economising scarce resources, scheduling editing to remove log jams, and utilising downtime effectively.

Producing top-notch news segments is a labour of love, hard work and intelligence. Work on harnessing your creativity even if the remuneration is less than expected. You can never control when what news breaks, so be prepared to devote your life to your work. Know when to draw the boundaries as personal commitments and events in your life events also need your due attention.