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Broadcast journalist: Salary and conditions

• Range of typical starting salaries: £13,000 - £22,000. Starting salaries vary significantly between local and national broadcasters (salary data collected Feb 09).
• Range of typical salaries at senior level/with experience (e.g. after 10 - 15 years in the role): £22,000- £52,000 but can be over £100,000 in exceptional cases (salary data collected Feb 09). Wages differ widely depending on the employer and the location. The Independent   estimates that the basic average salary at this level is approximately £30,000.
• Pay tends to be higher in television than radio. Independent local radio posts tend to offer the lowest starting salaries. Additional allowances may be paid for shift work and unsocial hours and a London weighting may be available. Freelance reporters are often on individually negotiated contracts.
• Working hours typically include regular unsocial hours. Shift work is common, starting early to cover regional news on breakfast radio/television shows or working mid-morning until late evening for afternoon/evening bulletins. Weekend work is often required and most broadcasters do not take public holidays. On-air presenters are less likely to go out on location to cover stories and their working hours may be more predictable/social.
• The media is a volatile industry, characterised by short-term contract employment. Many broadcast journalists may be freelance and may have to relocate or travel according to availability of work.
• Diversity in the media is still an issue. The 2006 census from Skillset (Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries)  estimated that only 38% of the workforce were women, 7% from minority ethnic groups and employees with disabilities accounted for only 1% of the workforce. However, initiatives such as BBC Extend , Cultural Diversity Network , Journalism Diversity Fund  and George Viner Memorial Fund . are attempting to address this concern and according to the Office of Communications (Ofcom) in 2007, the proportion of people from minority ethnic backgrounds and people with disabilities employed in broadcasting appeared to be gradually increasing.
• Job opportunities can be found across the UK. Work for network stations will tend to be London or regionally based. There are usually more opportunities at local level, through regional stations. Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) has opened many new opportunities across radio and television.
• The work can be stressful and pressurised; broadcast journalists always work to strict deadlines and need to react as and when a story breaks. The work sometimes involves interacting with people at moments of crisis or tragedy which can be emotionally challenging.
• There is frequent travel within a working day and absence from home at night. Overseas work or travel is occasional but more common for specialist correspondents.

AGCAS

Written by Claire Byron, Newcastle University

Last updated:

February 2009

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