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News Anchors

Experience, Skills, and Personality Traits

Large markets for radio and television news anchors usually employ announcers who bring experience from smaller stations. Anchors must have proven ratings records to attract and maintain audiences. In addition to their news announcing tasks, anchors must be able to create and update their social media sites, make promotional appearances, and appear in commercials for the station.

Aspiring radio and television news anchors must have a mastery of the English language—both written and spoken. Their diction, including correct grammar usage, pronunciation, and minimal regional dialect, is extremely important. News anchors need to have a pleasing personality and voice, and, in the case of television anchorpeople, they must also have a pleasing appearance.

News anchors need to be creative, inquisitive, aggressive, and should know how to meet and interact with people—including coworkers and people who they interview to help gather the news.

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