Duties and responsibilities
A news producer is the person who take all the elements of the news that have been gathered throughout the day (e.g., stories, packages, graphics) and constructs a newscasts. The typical duties and responsibilities of a news producer include:
- Monitoring news feeds, including searching social media and engaging with reporters, to gather and evaluate relevant news and information
- Gathering information, stories and pieces from team members throughout the day
- Collaborating with news director to select and prioritize content
- Adding stories and elements that will make the broadcast more attractive
- Selecting footage and sound bites to include in broadcast to ensure consistency
- Communicating with the studio crew while on-air
- Ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of on-air content
- Producing breaking news reports
Qualifications
To become a new producer, you will need a bachelor’s degree in related field, such as journalism, public relations or communications.
Skills and relevant work experience
A news producer needs hands on experience in the field, and with digital technology. As well as experience, they will also need skills and talents such as:
- Time management skills, as news producers must work to strict timelines in order to produce content for the news program
- Creativity, as news producers need to create exciting and interesting stories
- Communication and interpersonal skills, as news producers will need to work as part of a cohesive team with directors and producers
- Leadership skills, as news producers will have to delegate tasks to other news team members
Hours
Typically producers will be involved in the morning or afternoon meeting during which stories are assigned. They will work 40 hours per week, but overtime is common.
Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for a producer was $74,420 in May 2019. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $35,480, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $173,680.
Progression
New producers may progress to have more responsibility, such as managing a team of other producers.