The Job of a TV News Producer
TV news producers work for TV news shows, either on newscasts or shows like Dateline and Real Sports (on HBO). A TV news producer works very much like a journalist, finding stories and then reporting them. But unlike a straight-up print news reporter, a TV news producer needs to conceive a television news segment. This means a TV news producer must be able to oversee other employees and understand how to present a story visually.
The Skills You Need
A TV news producer needs to have strong journalistic skills. Not only does a TV news producer need to be able to identify and research a story, but he or she also needs to be able to work with a team of people -- writers and sometimes an anchor -- to put that story together. A producer may also need some technical knowledge and a background in production.
If you watch a news story on TV, either a segment on the evening news or on one of the aforementioned TV news shows, you’ll see that visual components mesh with an overarching story. A TV news producer needs to understand some of the technical aspects of putting a story together -- some jobs may require producers to have the technical skills to cut and piece together their own footage –- along with the ability to craft accompanying commentary. In other words, a producer needs to be proficient in writing a script for a segment as well as cutting and piecing that segment together.
How to Get a Job as a TV News Producer
A TV news producer needs experience working for a show. Having a degree in communications or journalism can help but, ultimately, an internship at a news program or a TV station is the first way to get your foot in the door. From there one can work up to a full-time job writing news for TV and then segue into a job as a producer, which is a more senior position.