Compared to being a network news anchor, most jobs suck. Think about it. . . those anchors work maybe six hours a day, spend half an hour reading something somebody else wrote, get all the credit for it, and go home more famous than most U.S. Senators. Those bastards! You should be one of those!

Whether you want to be the next Walter Cronkite, or just warp public opinion as an elite faceless member of "the media," there are a few hoops you have to jump through to start a career in the television news industry. True, working in TV news can beat working at a lot of other places; it's never dull, no two days are the same, and after two or three decades you can make some pretty good dough. But in order to land that job, you'll have to start out doing some low-paying entry-level grunt work. . . and that's if you're lucky. We're here to help.

1. Get an Internship

The best way to begin your journey to the anchor desk or executive producer's chair is with an internship. Getting a first-hand peep into the guts of a newsroom can tell you whether you want to work full-time in a world where people swear at each other for no reason and never get any sleep. Just like any other field, internships let you know if this is your gig. The good news is that most television (and radio) stations around the country offer tons of internships. The bad news is that more than half of those are unpaid. The worst news is that most of them suck, because you do the things that no one else would ever do, like organizing videotapes for weeks. And weeks. And weeks. To be fair, at least you can claim experience when looking for a real job. Now, a lot of news organizations avoid the sweatshop police by doling out college credit, which is good for undergrads but tough for folks who, . . .well, . . . aren't in college. Those out of school considering a career change to broadcast journalism might want to explore a graduate program (the eager beavers reading this SYW can skip right on down to step 3).

It's not hard to locate TV news internships near you. One way is to pick up a TV Guide and write the names down of the news stations in your area. Then dial 4-1-1 and write down what they say. Complee-cated, eh? Or, you can hit TVjobs.com for a handy master index of stations in your area. The three broadcast news networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) and the three cable networks (CNN, MSNBC, and FOX) have small bureaus in major cities around the country. All of them are headquartered in New York, except for CNN, which is run out of Atlanta.

Call the newsroom, ask for the intern coordinator, and then give a brief, twelve-minute summary of your career goals. Actually, a quick name and address of the specific person who accepts intern applications will do. Newsrooms can be busy, scary places, so this initial call is not the time to spill your ambitions about how you want to give voices to the voiceless through the powerful medium of broadcast journalism. If you sense that the person is not in a hurry, maybe say who you are and where you go to school, but do not try and turn a cold call into an interview.

Get a specific name and make sure you have the correct spelling. Technical errors can kill any cover letter in any job world, (see "SYW write an impressive résumé") and "SYW write a cover letter" for proof), but in journalism they take on a special meaning. Even in television, part of your paycheck comes from spelling things correctly. Send a letter filled with spelling errors to a traditional company and they'll just think you're an idiot. Send one to a TV newsperson and they'll picture their newscast filled with butchered homonyms on the day you 'helped out' in the graphics department. Send off your stuff, and if you don't hear back in a week, then call. Journalists will respect you if you are persistent and show an ability to get people on the phone without being too annoying. That's because their jobs involve being persistent, getting people on the phone, and being particularly annoying.

Many TV news internships present opportunities to do more interesting things than the entry-level full-time staffers above you. Live television is a place where deadlines aren't flexible, so any newsroom can turn into a crisis atmosphere in a hurry. The more crises there are, the more chances you have to be a hero. Try to spot little things that need to be done and do them. If you catch a factual error in a script, say so. If you hear a phone ringing and nobody can get to it, pick it up. (And then say something into it.)

Most TV news people don't have the time to make sure their interns are getting their money's worth from an unpaid job, so the burden here is on you. If some schmuck makes you spend your semester taking out the garbage and getting him M & M's, find another producer or reporter who can give you things to do. The worst thing you can do all day at a TV internship is to sit around, say nothing, and wait for the line to appear on your résumé. If you find yourself organizing videotapes for eight hours a day for weeks and weeks, you are not getting anything out of your internship experience. Either talk to someone, or find a better internship. You're better than that.

2. Choose Between Network and Local News

So once you've picked up a little experience, you need to decide which TV news pond you'd like to dive into: local stations or the networks. There are a lot more of the locals (over 150 markets with several stations each) than the networks (like 6), so naturally you will be a much bigger fish the more unimportant the place you start.

Deciding whether to begin at a network or a local station often revolves around one thing: how badly you want to be on air. There are two career "tracks" in TV news: production and on-air.

The production track involves working your way up to being a producer. Producers are responsible for putting together coverage and building it into a story. Whether it is an entire show or a taped piece that a reporter narrates, producers build the pieces to any news program. They often start as production assistants, fast-forwarding through hours of file footage to find the right shots. The next step is being an associate producer, which usually means fast-forwarding through more tape, until you become a producer.

If you want to be an on-air reporter right away, your best bet is a local station in a small market. If you want to be an award-winning producer for 60 Minutes, you probably want to pursue an entry-level job at a network. Either way, the first step is to sit back and be glad you have rich parents. (Or, to get the right paternity lawyer and find some.) A 1999 survey by Prof. Lee Becker at the University of Georgia and Prof. Jerry Kosicki of Ohio State University showed that the median annual first-year pay for a bachelor's degree grad in TV news is a delicious. . . $18,200. What a career.

Entry-level administrative positions at networks don't get much better. The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on PBS pays its Desk Assistants less than $8.00/hr. CNN's Video Journalist program pays $21,500/yr. For more information on starting salaries in TV news, grab a tissue and check out Bob Papper and Michael Gerhard's piece for the Radio-Television News Director's Association, Starting Salaries: a Crying Shame.

But if your desire for mad cash takes a back seat to your yearning for small-town fame, it's not unheard of for recent graduates to be offered jobs as reporters at small stations right out of college. To do that, however, you will need a 'résumé tape.' A résumé tape has examples of stories that you have done, so that the TV station knows what it's getting. There are all sorts of specifics on how to and how not to put one together. TVRundown.com recommends advice on this subject from the long-time consultant Don Fitzpatrick, who offers a comprehensive audition tape guide for $20.00. For a little bit more, you can attend a Master's program in broadcast journalism.

3. Decide if You Should Go to Journalism Graduate School

Any academic degree gives you two things:

1. the knowledge and skills you learned while pursuing that degree.
2. the perception by others that you know something because you have a degree in it.

In journalism, this seesaw usually favors the first one. You don't need to go to journalism school to work in TV news, but if you don't have any experience in the field, this might be a good way to start.

A number of schools offer Master's programs in both broadcast and print journalism. New York's Columbia University, Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, and the University of Missouri at Columbia are often mentioned in the top tier. These programs generally draw applicants from a number of academic backgrounds, and they teach the essentials of news reporting, writing, editing, and producing. The application process generally includes personal statements, writing tests, your undergraduate GPA, and, in some cases, scores on the Graduate Record Exam. Hands-on production experience is one thing graduates point to when asked what they got out of "J-school." Master's programs can also give you the opportunity to produce a résumé tape if you're interested in being on air some time soon.

4. Be Persistent in Chasing Your First Job

If you're looking for advice here at SoYouWanna.com, you're already in a crowd of millions, but if you're looking for a job in TV news, you're not alone either. A study by some top journalism professors found that the average TV News Director gets 60 applications for every entry-level hire. So what does that mean? It means pack it in, Sparky, this line of work ain't for you.

Just kidding. You probably won't find too many vacancies for Network Anchor on the Web, but there are a number of easy-to-navigate search engines that let you know what jobs are open and where. The American Journalism Review has an excellent, searchable database that lets you plug in location, job description, and salary requirements. The National Association of Broadcasters lists nationwide openings, and the Radio-Television News Director's Association is a pretty good jumping off point for seeing what's out there. TVjobs.com offers a searchable job database, but you have to register and pay $20.00/yr. Finally, the Society of Professional Journalists and The Rundown offer fairly good background information on what's going on in the profession and how to get started.

When you do start sending out résumés, the routine is pretty much the same as when you found your internship: get the specific name of the person to whom you should send your material, and follow up after a week. Just like in any job, blind mailings with generic greetings probably won't get you very far. If you send résumé tapes, make sure to strictly follow whatever guidelines are listed in job ad.

When you do get that first call back, treat it like a hot story. Follow up quickly and do your homework.

5. Don't Just Prepare for Your Interview, "Produce" It

Television news is a medium dominated by producers, so, you need to 'produce' your interview, and not just show up at it. Most interview tips for TV news are the same as for other careers (research the organization where you want to work, act pleasantly, don't show up high on crack, etc.), but there are a few things you should pay particular attention to when looking for an opportunity in TV news:

Television is filled with people are paid to make snap judgments based on how things look, so they can't help themselves when it comes to you. Like it or not, you need to look as good as you can. Ladies, dress for success. Pants suits seem to do the trick. Guys, strap on a suit. Don't overdo it, though. Cake on too much make-up or hair gel and some techie might mistake you for the talent and throw you on the set. Either that, or the whole newsroom will laugh at you when you leave. Hopefully, a little of both.

Be prepared to discuss three or four stories you have been following over the last few weeks. That doesn't include sports or your personal life. If you haven't been following any, do a little background reading. If the interviewer asks you what you think about any of the stories, don't give your personal opinion. Show that you can be objective. Talk about how the media has covered these issues and what you would do differently.

If you're heading to a local station, make sure you have digested the area paper before you walk into your meeting. If you're going to a network, don't walk inside without having fully read the New York Times. To be on the safe side, skimming USA Today, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal (you'll need a paid subscription for this one) can't hurt. Listen to the radio on the way over. Being able to discuss the story of the hour with your interviewer shows them that you'll be up-to-the-minute on the job.

Most consulting firms probably won't make you stand around for forty-five minutes if the local mayor resigns or there is a school shooting at the other end of the country. In TV news, they may. If this occurs and you happen to know something about whatever the story is, count your lucky stars and speak up. Volunteer whatever information or sources you know about without getting in the way. Whatever you do, don't just sit there for a few minutes and then say you have to leave. Showing that you understand the nature of breaking news can be a nice plus right off the bat.

Have you ever seen an evening newscast where the anchor is still getting dressed or making notes to himself or humming weird tunes for the first four minutes of the show? (If you have please, send us a tape). Deadlines aren't flexible in live TV. Strolling in late for an interview shows that you think they are.

Got any clips from your college newspaper? Bring them. (If you don't, and you are still in college, try to get some under your belt.) Otherwise, a good exercise is to grab some copy from the news wires - Associated Press, Reuters, etc. - and rewrite them as thirty-second anchor 'tells.' (A 'tell' or 'reader' is when an anchor reads the whole story into the camera without introducing a reporter who delivers a live report or taped piece.) For techniques on clear, effective writing for broadcast news, it's hard to beat Writing News for Broadcast by Edward Bliss and John M. Patterson. Especially at networks, entry-level jobs involve little or no writing. Still, demonstrating that 'you got skills' might show them that you're a good investment. If you know how to edit videotape, say so.

Here's where you can blow your interviewer away. Research two stories that have been simmering on the back pages but nobody is talking about. Or look into stories that everybody is talking about but nobody is writing about. Craft a brief proposal for each (a page will do) saying why it's important, who you would talk to, and what footage you would show with it. These should not begin with, "Call the President of the United States and ask him what he thinks about China." If you're at a network they will already have this covered, and if you're at a local station they'll probably recommend you apply to their Beijing bureau. If done right, story proposals will almost always put you in a category above everyone else applying for the same job.

If you're interviewing for an entry-level job, make it clear you're not afraid to do entry-level tasks -- because that's what you'll be doing. Most beginners in TV start out answering phones, printing out script pages, scanning the news wires, and unclogging paper jams in giant scary photocopiers. These jobs aren't hard, but they actually are important. One unanswered phone call or misplaced script page can wreck a newscast. Show them that you know that and will never let it happen.

In TV news, getting your foot in the door is perhaps the hardest part of building a career. Use any personal connections you may have, no matter how extraneous, and if you're not an anchor by the time you're twenty-three, just keep plugging. The Tele-prompter is waiting.